Liverpool are today being linked to Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, although the Athletic specify that a transfer is unlikely due to the Birmingham club’s reluctance to do business.
A £50m price-tag likely rules us out, although so keen is Jurgen Klopp on the 26-year-old midfielder, he asked Andy Robertson about the player’s qualities last season.
“Manager Jurgen Klopp wanted to know whether John McGinn ever stopped running on a match day,” James Pearce writes.
“It sounds funny but the German was serious, so much so that he asked the question to his Scotland left-back Andy Robertson, who knows McGinn well from the international set-up.
“The day after Aston Villa smashed Liverpool 7-2 last October, the two players met up for Scotland duty. They discussed that astonishing game at Villa Park, as well as Klopp’s comments. It later emerged that some of Liverpool’s players were particularly impressed with McGinn, too.”
McGinn is technically excellent and runs all day long. In many ways, he appears a suitable Gini Wijnaldum replacement option – and seems a good leader to boot.
What this story shows us, at the very least, is that central midfield is definitely a position the Reds are looking to strengthen, as we imagined it would.
Gini Wijnaldum played all 38 Premier League games last season, so it’s crucial we have another body who is as available as the Dutchman, who’s taking the Euros by storm and signing for PSG once they’re done.