John McGinn close to Villa contract extension amid Celtic links

Aston Villa captain John McGinn is close to agreeing a new contract with the Premier League club as speculation continues over whether the Scotland midfielder could one day return to boyhood club Celtic. McGinn, 30, remains a central figure for Villa and for Scotland as the national team pursue World Cup qualification, while reports say Villa are engaged in advanced talks to extend his deal beyond its current 2027 expiry.

Club officials have prioritized retaining key players after rejecting approaches for McGinn during the summer transfer window, when several Premier League clubs registered interest. McGinn has started every league game this season under manager Unai Emery and has been a regular in European competition for Villa since helping the club return to the top flight. He joined Villa from Hibernian in 2018 for a reported modest fee and has since become captain and a fans favourite.

The possibility of McGinn ending his Villa career with a move to Celtic is grounded in his family ties and past links to the Glasgow club. His grandfather, Jack McGinn, served as Celtic chairman in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and McGinn was strongly linked with Celtic while still at...