Celtic transfer miss revisited as key figure to Aston Villa star reveals all

The brother of John McGinn has admitted he has been shocked by what he has achieved after playing a key part in Aston Villa's success.

Paul McGinn, who is also a footballer and plays for Scottish Premiership side Motherwell, believed that being a Premier League footballer was a possibility, but perhaps only as a bit-part role. His younger brother John defied expectations however by playing an influential role in them qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

John, who is four years younger than brother Paul, is Villa's captain, and last season, he played 53 times for the Villains. He missed just three league matches and had played a part in 16 of their goals last season, with nine goals and seven assists.

"You wouldn’t have imagined (his rise to the top)," said McGinn who was appearing on the Open Goal podcast.

"I remember watching the games against Celtic and thinking 'surely they are going to take him as a no-risk signing'.

"He has done really well against them. This is a no risk. Down south with Aston Villa, they were still in the Championship at the time. I think they were mid-table, but they made a right few good signings.

"That American came in (co-owner Wes Edens) and I thought he has got a right chance now, even then. To be at the top of your game for that long is unbelievable. It’s so tough. You never had seen it (McGinn’s rise). I thought he might have played in the Premier League, but been a bit part."

McGinn has been at Aston Villa for six years after joining from Hibernian. He joined when Steve Bruce was in charge, for a reported fee of £2.8m. He could have joined Villa’s Premier League rivals Everton, but they passed up on the opportunity.

The Glasgow-born midfielder established himself as a key player at Hibs, and had been performing well in the Scottish Premiership. It came as a surprise then that Celtic, decided against making a £3.5m bid for McGinn, despite the player himself revealing that he was set on joining the Glasgow giants, prior to his move to Villa.

When asked whether he tried to push his brother to sign for Celtic, Paul McGinn said: “Not really getting that involved. That was basically what we thought was going to happen because it was only Celtic that were in really.

“I think Celtic had wind of that as well. I remember the agents saying that if Villa get the transfer embargo sorted, then they are coming in. I don’t know if they thought that was maybe agent talk or something.”

McGinn will potentially line up against the club that he nearly joined in the New Year when Villa host Celtic in their final league phase game of the UEFA Champions League.