Would McGinn be the perfect Wijnaldum replacement for Liverpool?

Stefan Bienkowski

Updated: 24 Jun 2021 14:24 BST
5 min read

© ProShots - John McGinn has become a transfer target for liverpool

John McGinn may not have enjoyed much luck with the Scotland national team at Euro 2020 but it seems as though the Aston Villa midfielder has still picked up some notable admirers.

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According to a report in the Athletic, the 26-year-old midfielder has had a long-term fan in the form of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

The Anfield boss was apparently impressed by Villa’s box-to-box gladiator and now thinks the Scotland international could be an ideal solution to some of the problem’s in his team for next season.

The former English champions recently lost an important cog in their machine this summer, when Gini Wijnaldum decided to run down his contract and make the move to Paris Saint-Germain.

As such, Liverpool are in desperate need of another smart midfielder in the middle of the pitch and apparently believe McGinn may be the man for the job.

Could McGinn replace Wijnaldum?

On paper, there’s no doubt that McGinn would be a useful recruit for Klopp’s team next season.

Not only has the former Hibernian star adapted to life in English football surprisingly well, but he also seems to be thriving in the English top flight.

In the English Championship McGinn formed an impressive partnership with Jack Grealish as Villa’s driving force in the final third and now in the top-flight, the Scot has developed into a more rounded No.8 that is happy to make full use of his physicality and intelligence off the ball in either box.

This, naturally, would suggest that McGinn could fit into Wijnaldum’s role quite well. Like the Netherlands international, the Villa star is an underrated playmaker but also an important defensive unit against counter attacks. In many ways, they’re very similar players.

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Could Liverpool sign McGinn this year?

The only issue with McGinn fitting into Klopp’s team so well is that Villa are likely well aware of that fact and like the many clubs chasing Grealish’s signature, there’s no doubt that the Anfield side would have to pay a pretty penny for McGinn’s signature.

The Scotland international currently has a contract at Villa until 2025, which means the Birmingham club will effectively be able to name their price if Liverpool get serious about making an offer.

According to the Athletic, that price will be nothing less than £50 million. Which, understandably, is probably the going rate for an accomplished Premier League midfielder that probably still has some way to go before he hits his peak.

However, it remains to be seen just how much money Liverpool have to spend this summer and whether a player like McGinn is top of their list of priorities.