John McGinn has explained why his proposed transfer to Celtic in 2018 never happened. The Aston Villa and Scotland midfielder says the club's assumption that his family connection would secure a cut-price deal proved fatal to the move.
McGinn, now 31, was a key target for then-manager Brendan Rodgers that summer. Speaking on The Overlap, he detailed the negotiations that ultimately saw him join Aston Villa for £2.8 million instead of moving to his boyhood club.
"I think the irony is: if [Jack] wasn’t my grandpa and I wasn’t a Celtic fan, I probably would be a Celtic player," McGinn said. "I think they felt, because I was a Celtic fan, it would just happen. Nobody else would come in, and Hibs would crumble."
His grandfather, Jack McGinn, served as Celtic chairman between 1986 and 1991. McGinn revealed the club even contacted his grandfather during talks in an attempt to influence the deal. "They actually phoned my grandpa to try and influence me at the time," he said. "But he had a good relationship with both sides. He trusted me and my agent. And he said, ‘Listen, nothing to do with me."
Hibs stood firm on valuation
The midfielder praised Hibernian's handling of the situation, stating they were transparent about their demands. "Hibs were amazing at the time," McGinn added. "They said, ‘We’re not going to stand in your way."
He confirmed that Celtic's bids, which he recalls being in the region of two to three million pounds, never met Hibs' valuation. "And it never, ever got there," McGinn stated. "I think they bid a few times."
The collapse of the move preceded Rodgers' sudden departure from Celtic later that year. McGinn's career has since flourished in the Premier League and on the European stage, culminating in winning the Europa League with Aston Villa last season. Celtic's current midfield options and future transfer plans can be tracked on the club's squad page. The episode remains a notable 'what if' in recent Parkhead history, with McGinn's comments providing a clear postscript on a deal that stalled over price and perception.
