Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has revisited the club’s failed attempt to sign John McGinn back in 2018, as the Scotland star prepares to face his boyhood heroes in tonight’s Champions League showdown.
McGinn, who was on the verge of joining Celtic from Hibernian for £3.5 million, ultimately made the switch to Aston Villa, where he has since become a key player and helped them qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 42 years.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s clash at Villa Park, Rodgers acknowledged how close Celtic came to signing the midfielder but admitted the move to England has worked out perfectly for him.
“I was very keen in taking John to Celtic. But listen, the move has worked out brilliant for him. Obviously, Steve (Bruce) was in charge at the time, they were in the Championship, but he was coming to a massive club, a great club.
“They then got themselves out of the Championship and he’s really thrived in the environment here. I’m so pleased for him, because like I said, the Celtic move was nearly there.
“But he’s come down to England and he’s been absolutely brilliant for Aston Villa. He’s been an instrumental player on the pitch, and obviously off the pitch, he’s got a strong character and I’m sure he’s really influenced the club.”
McGinn’s move to Villa remains one of the biggest ‘what if’ moments in Celtic’s modern transfer history. The club had multiple bids rejected by Hibs, believing their final offer would be enough to land him, but Villa swooped in after Celtic hesitated, convincing the midfielder to move south instead.
Since then, McGinn has become a Premier League star, a Scotland mainstay, and Aston Villa captain under Unai Emery, playing a key role in their rise to Europe’s elite competition.
For Celtic, it was a case of what might have been, as they eventually moved on to other targets, but Rodgers’ words confirm how highly he rated McGinn at the time.
Now, the midfielder will be looking to help Villa secure a top-eight Champions League finish – while Celtic know a win tonight could put them in a position for a top 8 finish, with other results going their way.
