Failing to sign John McGinn might be one of the biggest regrets for Celtic in recent years. The midfielder has gone on to become a regular for both the Scotland national team and Aston Villa.
The Hoops were linked with a move for the 26-year-old back when he was playing for Hibernian. McGinn himself was clearly interested in a Parkhead move but ultimately it failed to materialise.
It had looked like the Glasgow giants were leading the race for the signature of the midfielder but it appeared that they were not willing to match the transfer fee that Hibernian were looking for. Aston Villa swooped in at the last moment and ultimately, McGinn decided that it was the best move for his career.
And in hindsight, it is hard to argue with him. He has emerged as a star in the Premier League. But McGinn has admitted that it was a hard decision to make and that he himself wanted to play for the Hoops. While speaking on The Big Interview Podcast and as reported by Glasgow Times, he said:
"“That was a hard moment because I remember speaking to my mum and dad and we’d resigned ourselves to defeat with Celtic. Mum and dad grew up etched in Celtic, I wanted to play for Celtic, but it just wasn’t right. Maybe in the future you never know but that is something I can’t affect now, it’s passed.”"
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Not signing McGinn should be a massive regret for Celtic
After seeing how things have turned out, if the club could go back in time, they would probably match Hibernian’s demands without a second thought.
But it is what it is. It was one of the biggest transfer mistakes that the Hoops have made in the recent past. Every time that McGinn puts in a brilliant performance though, we are left wondering what could have been if the club had managed to get a deal over the line for him.
Could a move to Parkhead be on the cards in the future? Who knows?
It is no secret that McGinn wanted to play for the club. But it is not something that is going to happen anytime soon with the Aston Villa star’s transfer value believed to be rated as high as £50 million these days.