“Shocking Truth Behind Celtic’s Near Miss on John McGinn Transfer – Brother Paul Reveals All!”
It’s well-known in Scottish football that Celtic missed out on signing John McGinn before his move to Aston Villa. As a lifelong Celtic fan and standout player for Hibernian, many expected McGinn to join the Hoops, especially with his grandfather having been a former chairman of the club. Celtic were reportedly interested, but they hesitated, and Aston Villa swooped in with a £3.5 million offer. The rest, as they say, is history.
McGinn played a crucial role in helping Villa secure promotion to the Premier League and has since captained them to the Champions League after a stellar campaign. The £3.5 million fee, which Celtic reportedly balked at, is now considered one of the best bargains in recent memory, with McGinn later being linked to top clubs like Tottenham and Manchester United. It’s clear that Celtic’s hesitation was a major misstep.
In an interview with *Open Goal*, McGinn’s brother, Paul, admitted he never anticipated John’s rise to this level. “No, you wouldn’t have,” Paul said, recalling watching his brother play against Celtic and thinking he would have been a safe signing. “He has done really well against them. This is a no-risk signing.”
At the time, Aston Villa were still a mid-table Championship side, but with new investments and key signings, Paul’s perspective began to change, recognizing that McGinn had a real opportunity. “Even then, every year, the money you spend, to be at the top of your game for that long is unbelievable. It’s so tough,” Paul added.
When asked if he tried to persuade John to join Celtic, Paul said: “Not really getting that involved. We thought it was going to happen because Celtic were the only club in for him. I think they thought Villa’s interest was just talk. But when Villa sorted out their transfer embargo, they made their move.”
Looking back, it’s clear that Celtic’s missed opportunity has only enhanced McGinn’s career trajectory.