John McGinn is one of the reported potential targets for Tottenham, as the summer transfer window looms. In his 33 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa so far this season, McGinn has scored three goals and registered as many assists.
Steven Gerrard was full of praise for his midfielder earlier this year and his comments indicate that he would be loathe to let the 27-year-old move elsewhere. "There’s not many better people than John McGinn," the Villa boss admitted.
"I’ve been in the game an awfully long time and he is a really infectious character who is great for the group, on and off the pitch. John is the glue to everything that’s good at Aston Villa."
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Earlier this month, the midfielder admitted that he has been "a lot more professional over the last 12 months, trying to become the best athlete I can be" and if the Scottish international is going to be on Fabio Paratici's radar, Spurs could have a lot to offer. Not only the great location of London, world-class facilities and stadium, but also a world-class manager.
McGinn won't be getting European football with Villa next season, with his current side sitting 14th in the Premier League, with just one game to go. However, Spurs are effectively just one point away from securing Champions League football for next season.
This would mean the midfielder could come to a club which already has some quality players, with hopefully more to be bought in the summer, a manager who has already made such a difference in a short amount of time and hopefully entry into the top European competition.
McGinn clearly has a good relationship with his current boss, which his previous comments have highlighted. "What he [Gerrard] is, is a top class manager, very honest and very fair," the 27-year-old explained on talkSPORT, via Birmingham Live.
"What we do have in common, we’ve obviously had very different paths in football, but what we both have in common is we both play, or played in midfield, and we both want to win. So its an easy relationship from there, and I’m just trying to learn from him and Gary McAllister as well, two top midfielders, and trying to improve as a player. I’ve still got a lot to learn and we’re working closely together to try and get the best for the club and for myself."
In 2019, the Scotsman scored the first goal for his side when they played Tottenham on the opening weekend of the 2019/20 season before Spurs ran out 3-1 winners. After his solid display, Jamie Redknapp compared him to a former Lilywhites player, who agreed with the comparison.
"John McGinn has been the most impressive player on the pitch – he’s the man. The finish reminds me of you, Rafa [Rafael van der Vaart]," Redknapp admitted.
As the years have gone by, McGinn has continued to impress, making an impact for both his club and his country, which has been recognised by both Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand. The ex-professional duo both heaped praise on him after Villa's draw against Leeds in February.
"He’s one of them that if you speak to anyone around Aston Villa and they love him. He’s a character, a leader. He’s an all round midfielder," Cole admitted.
"Forget what he does off the ball, on the ball he does everything. He’s got tenacity, he wins the ball back and he brings that to the team. And when you couple that with the other side of his game, he’s got lovely close control. He’s as strong as an ox and he picks the right pass."
Cole went on to explain that he believes McGinn is "underappreciated" outside his own club and Ferdinand echoed the positive comments, claiming he doesn't "see a weakness in the way he plays."
"He’d be hard to play against. More than anything, he's an honest professional. You can see he's a good person," Ferdinand said.
"He’s got a lot of positive vibes about him and when you think of big clubs recruiting - Stevie [Gerrard] won’t thank me for saying this - but he’s a player that if you’re looking for someone to be a 7/8 out of 10 most weeks then there aren’t many more you’d have more trust in."
Tottenham can arguably do with more leadership in the middle of the field. If McGinn could come to Spurs and bring that quality, as well as being a trustworthy player for Antonio Conte, then he may be someone the Italian would like in his squad.
Cole believes that the midfielder should stay at Villa, to continue learning from the likes of Gerrard and the duo's strong relationship would likely make it a harder move to pull off. However, if Tottenham do want McGinn as one of their signings this summer, they are likely to have a lot to offer, which could encourage a move.
