Liverpool are reportedly set to enter the race to sign Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn. The Scottish midfielder has grown in stature and has impressed in the Premier League over the last two seasons playing for Villa.
As per The Sunday Post (via HITC), the Reds are keen on signing a midfielder and McGinn is one player they are tracking. The report claims that the Scotsman could be available for a fee in excess of £20 million. Liverpool’s arch-rivals Manchester United, are also interested in the 26-year-old midfielder.
John McGinn, who joined Aston Villa in 2018 from Hibernian, has four years remaining on his current contract as he signed an extension as recently as December 2020.
John McGinn: Is he worth the fuss?
John McGinn has been one of the key players for Aston Villa since their return to the Premier League in 2019. McGinn has featured in 65 games for the Villans in the Premier League, scoring 6 goals and assisting 9 times. The Scotsman has contributed immensely in attack and defence and is a superb box-to-box midfielder. McGinn is a good link player who connects the midfield and attack with his dribbling, energy, and creative passing.
He averaged 1.4 dribbles per game in the Premier League in the 2020-21 season, while also playing an average of 3.3 long balls per game. McGinn is a tenacious midfielder with a good work rate who likes to press opposition midfielders and attackers and win the ball back for his team. He made an average of 1.6 tackles over the span of 37 Premier League games last season.
The Scottish midfielder could be a solid addition to the Liverpool team and would fit well in Jurgen Klopp’s tactics. His energy and work-rate suit Klopp’s high-intensity pressing game, while his ability to dribble with the ball could give the Liverpool manager a different option in midfield. Following the departure of Georginio Wijnaldum, Liverpool don’t have too many ball carriers from midfield as the likes of Thiago, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson prefer to control the tempo of the game with their passing.
McGinn could play the Wijnaldum role in the Liverpool midfield where he moves with the ball to the final third and links up with the front three. The Scotsman can also contribute a few goals from midfield, which would be a bonus for the Reds. The Villa midfielder has been exceptional for his Premier League side and is ready to make the step up to the big boys of the league. He has international and Premier League experience and possesses qualities that Klopp likes in players.