Transfer Centre

Manchester United target John McGinn 'staying put in January'

By Andrew Sinclair | 25 November 2019

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith indicates that in-form Manchester United target John McGinn will not be leaving the West Midlands club in January.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has indicated that Manchester United target John McGinn will not be leaving in January.

The 25-year-old Scot has drawn vast plaudits for his work as a box-to-box midfielder, scoring 10 goals in 20 games for club and country this season.

That form has seen the former Hibernian man linked with moves to both United and Tottenham Hotspur, but Smith seems convinced that the midfielder's current deal, which runs until 2024, should be enough to keep him at Villa Park until at least the end of the season.

The former Brentford boss said: "We've two owners who want to build a football club, challenging in the top half of the table, and top six in a few years' time.

"To do that you have to keep your best players and I've no doubts in my mind the owners will want to keep those players.

"Hopefully John will go and get a few for us now he has hit the goal trail. He said to me, 'If you need to throw me up front you can do'."

The Scot is currently top of the stats charts for Villa in terms of minutes played, tackles made and shots had.