Aston Villa’s John McGinn is the latest midfielder being linked with a move to Old Trafford.
It’s common knowledge that Manchester United are keen to bolster their midfield options, and a plethora of names have been linked to the club in recent months. But interest in McGinn is likely to be more legitimate.
Although he is not a blockbuster name, McGinn is highly-rated by compatriot and United technical director Darren Fletcher, as well as club legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
He's been subject to United interest in the past, though in the summer funds were prioritised for other areas as the club brought in Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho.
Villa would be reluctant to let McGinn leave, however with two years left on his current deal, there’s a chance the Birmingham club might look to cash in on the 27-year-old this summer, should he indicate he’s not open to an extension.
With McGinn is now firmly in the prime years of his career, it’s easy to see why United would be keen to bring in a profile such as his this summer.
For Villa, he tends to operate on the right of a three-man midfield, usually in a 4-3-3, although his all-round skillset means he can take on different roles in a range of formations more than efficiently.
Even though he is a key midfielder for Villa, the 27-year-old’s game isn’t really centred around possession play; he’s averaged just 38.8 attempted passes per 90 this season according to FBref.
If McGinn was at United, that would rank him bottom from the club’s current midfielders in terms of passing output.
The Scotland international’s success rate in those passes is also pretty unremarkable, just 73.4 per cent so far. That’s way below the average pass success rate for Premier League midfielders.
Although this initially paints McGinn in a poor light, there’s a reasonable explanation for the same.
As a passing profile, McGinn is quite similar to Bruno Fernandes. He’s maybe not as technically accomplished, yet like the Portuguese star, he often attempts a high quantity of high-risk, high-reward passes.
These tend to be balls into more dangerous areas of the pitch, which are often intercepted, but do prove more profitable for his side when they do come off.
This point is highlighted by the fact that McGinn boasts an average of 2.74 shot-creating actions per 90 this season, despite his low pass success rate.
For comparison, of United’s current crop of attackers and midfielders who have played more than 500 league minutes, only Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford can better that average at United this season.
In terms of his physical profile, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that McGinn’s again looks unremarkable. He stands at just 5ft 8ins and isn’t the most physically imposing. Yet in his case, looks are deceiving. Because watching the midfielder, you’re taken back by how surprisingly quick, strong and mobile he actually is.
These traits all aid the Villa man in being extremely press-resistant, able to manoeuvre away from defensive pressure, and also carry the ball through the lines.
He’s averaged more dribbles per 90 (1.95) than each of Fernandes, Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic this season.
McGinn’s doesn’t really bring much more than what United already have from a defensive point of view, yet his energy on the ball is definitely something they’re currently missing in the middle of the pitch.
Having already proven himself in the Premier League, it’s easy to see why United would put McGinn near the top of their transfer shortlist.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
