Why Manchester United signing John McGinn in January is a no-brainer

Aston Villa star John McGinn has been in fantastic form this season. The Scotsman, 25, made a name for himself in his native and in the Championship but there were doubts regarding his ability to cut it in the Premier League.

But the midfielder has silenced his critics, taking the Premier League like a duck to water. John McGinn has undoubtedly been Aston Villa’s best player so far this season, impressing with his attitude, energy and work rate.

Apparently, Villa should be worried about his future if the midfielder keeps performing consistently at this level. According to ESPN, Manchester United are exploring the possibility of signing McGinn during the January transfer window.

After a disappointing start to the campaign, the Red Devils find themselves placed 10th in the Premier League table, a staggering 18 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side clearly lacks quality and squad depth to compete for a top-four spot this season.

The report adds that Manchester United are ready to back Solskjaer during the winter window, with the Norwegian tactician left short in the midfield and the attack following the summer departures of Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera.

As far as the midfield department is concerned, Scott McTominay has nailed down his place in Solskjaer’s starting XI with consistent displays. Paul Pogba started the season alongside Matic in central midfield but has been sidelined with an ankle injury since a 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford in the Premier League in September.

Nemanja Matic is currently out injured, which has seen Fred enjoy regular game time in the last few weeks. With United in desperate need of reinforcements, especially in the midfield, Solskjaer must go all out to sign McGinn.

After helping Villa achieve promotion from the Championship, McGinn has since impressed in the top-flight, scoring three goals and adding two assists in 11 appearances to further enhance his reputation as a first-class talent. He would fit Solskjaer’s philosophy of signing young, hungry and talented British players.

The Glasgow-born star is not just a relentless, diligent midfielder, as he also has the ability to get forward and score goals from midfield, and that combination could make him a favourite at Old Trafford.

He can provide defensive cover in the middle of the park, as evident from his average of 2.8 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 0.8 clearances per game in the Premier League. [Courtesy: WhoScored.com]

Verdict

McGinn would be a terrific addition to the United squad. He’ll enhance Solskjaer’s midfield, whilst being a straight upgrade over the ageing Matic as well.