Why Man United should go all out to sign John McGinn in January

Back in July, a report from Sun had claimed Manchester United were interested in signing Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn.

John McGinn, 24, has been one of the top performers at Aston Villa since he joined the club from Hibernian last year, snubbing a move to Scottish champions Celtic.

He has been one of Villa’s shining stars in the Premier League and helped himself to another goal during the 2-2 draw with Burnley last weekend, taking his tally to three for the season so far.

The diminutive Scotsman is really catching the eye and Villa supporters are already starting to worry about his long-term prospects at the club. Truly, the 24-year-old has become invaluable to Dean Smith side’s prospects of staying up.

Watching McGinn’s influence for Villa grow week in and week out, Manchester United should reignite their interest in the midfielder when the transfer window reopens.

Things have gone from bad to worse for Manchester United as they drew 0-0 at AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday without registering a single shot on target. It extended United’s winless run away from home to ten games, dating back to their victory over Paris Saint-Germain in March.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed to sign only three players during the summer and though his new signings have been the club’s best players so far this season, they aren’t enough to help the Red Devils secure a top-four finish. United desperately need more quality and depth in the squad, especially in the midfield department.

In Paul Pogba, Fred, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic and Andreas Pereira, Solskjaer has limited options in central midfield. With Pogba’s future in doubt, Fred and Pereira underperforming and Matic ageing, the Norwegian should prioritise signing a central midfielder.

And John McGinn would be a great fit at Old Trafford. He is a calm and composed figure in the midfield with the ball. Quick and agile, the 24-year-old is renowned for his dribbling skills and despite the fact that he prefers to operate as a central midfielder, he can operate in an advanced position if required. Apart from his versatility, he is also a clever reader of the game and is quite aggressive.

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The Scotsman links up well with his teammates using his passing and vision, and also protects the backline. McGinn can also pick a pass in the final third and has good pace to get away from his marker. He could be that presence in the midfield for Solskjaer’s side, who can boss games and keep the ball ticking.

Verdict

McGinn is a player with a lot of energy and determination on the pitch. He certainly has the talent to flourish at a club like United, however, there are very little chances of Villa agreeing to sell their prized asset midway through the season.