John McGinn has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa as he enters the final two years of his contract
Our dedicated Aston Villa reporter is always on the pulse of all things claret and blue, from major talking points to transfer news to match action, John Townley will bring you the very latest from Bodymoor Heath and Villa Park.
In demand… Villa captain John McGinn(Image: Getty Images)
Everton reportedly hold an interest in Aston Villa captain John McGinn this summer.
The Villa captain is said to be a target for the Toffees as compatriot David Moyes continues a recruitment drive heading into a new era for the club.
McGinn, however, is not a player Villa would like to sell this summer, according to The Athletic.
Rightly so, too. While he started roughly 70 percent of Villa’s Premier League games last term, as a person and professional, McGinn is irreplaceable.
The Scot took the armband from Tyrone Mings before the start of the 2022/23 season – a controversial decision at the time – and remained skipper after Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard as Villa manager.
In total, he has made 285 appearances for the club in all competitions – 203 of which have come in the Premier League – the 10th most by any Villa player.
He has played an instrumental role in Villa’s ascent from the Championship to the Champions League and has lived the club’s rise under V Sports since the summer of 2018.
Although he starts the majority of fixtures in a season, there’s a lot to be said for the fact he is usually one of the first names on the teamsheet for the biggest occasions.
He played from the off in nine of Villa’s 12 Champions League games last season, missing the fixtures against Bayern Munich and Monaco through injury.
After starting both of the round of 16 clashes against Club Brugge, McGinn was then Villa’s best player in both quarter-final legs against Paris Saint-Germain.
Snap up limited edition Aston Villa branded Ozzy Osbourne merchandise
When Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath take to the stage this weekend they will be rightly hailed as the pioneers of heavy metal – and will do so at the home of their beloved Aston Villa.
To celebrate that link with the rockers and the club – a series of brilliant, unique souvenir merchandise is now available.
All of the designs combine retro designs, the Villa colours, and a homage to Ozzy Osbourne and with only a limited amount available – you will need to act fast to get your hands on yours!
- There is, for example, a stunning retro Ozzy Osbourne home shirt which you can get your hands on here.
- If you want a scarf for the gig or for match days – there is a brilliant Ozzy scarf decked out in retro design and club colours – buy yours now by clicking here
- Another superb design right out the 70s is this tracksuit top with Ozzy’s name and the club’s branding on. Buy yours here!
“John is an amazing person, as a player and as a professional,” Emery said of him last season. “But we are always speaking about how football is passing (by) so quickly and the level we want to get and keep is high.
“He is a very important player for us. His versatility and characteristics are very important.”
McGinn’s story at Villa is not yet done, however, with silverware a particular target for several players in the Villa dressing room.
The likes of McGinn, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins are all determined to mark their time at the club by ending its long wait for a trophy.
After setbacks and learning experiences in recent years under Emery, next season is the time for McGinn and Co to create a lasting legacy.
Villa reached the semi-final of the FA Cup last season and were knocked out by Olympiacos in the final four of European competition the season before that.
The Champions League ride was special, but now it is time to win and create history – something McGinn cannot be deprived of with a move elsewhere.
McGinn – keep or sell? Click HERE to join the debate
The latest Villa headlines sent straight to your phone
Join our Aston Villa WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click on this link and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. It’s a free service. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from our Villa writers.
We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Villa news. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click ‘Exit Group’. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. Click here to read our Privacy Notice