Aston Villa captain John McGinn extends deal to 2028

Aston Villa confirmed on Wednesday that captain John McGinn has signed a contract extension that will keep the Scotland midfielder at Villa Park until 2028, the club said, days before their Europa League meeting with Maccabi Tel Aviv. The 31 year old, who joined from Hibernian in 2018, is poised to make his 300th appearance for the club in Thursday’s fixture and remains a central figure in Unai Emery’s side.

McGinn’s new deal extends a relationship that has seen him progress from the Championship to the Champions League and into the club captaincy. Since arriving for a modest fee, he has made close to 300 appearances, scored more than 30 goals and provided more than 40 assists across competitions. He has also been a regular for Scotland, where his goal tally places him among the nation’s top scorers. Emery praised McGinn’s influence, saying, "Three years we were together and in those three years he showed me how he leads the team in all moments. Most important is on the field and he has responded very well. He is a versatile player. His commitment here is huge. He is going to be an important player for us going forward."

The extension follows a recent run of contract renewals at...