Celtic transfer truth revealed as contract talks confirmed

Cameron Smith

20 Oct 2025 15:28 BST
4 min read

Celtic are unlikely to sign John McGinn next year as he is “on the verge” of signing a new contract at Aston Villa.

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The Scotland international has been heavily linked with a move to Celtic Park ever since a proposed transfer failed to materialise in 2018 and former Bhoys defender Charlie Mulgrew recently tipped him to join Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Current ETV

John McGinn

M (CL), DM (C)

Aston Villa

John McGinn

M (CL), DM (C)

Aston Villa

ETV Range

€14M - €17.1M

However, McGinn is now close to signing a new contract at Villa Park, as per The Telegraph, with talks at an advanced stage and a full agreement expected to be reached shortly.

The 31-year-old has racked up a whopping 296 appearances across a seven-year career at Aston Villa and Unai Emery’s side are eager to tie him down to a new long-term deal, with his existing terms due to expire in 2027.

Football Insider have confirmed that McGinn could move back to Scotland in the future, however a deal is incredibly unlikely to take place next summer.

With a move for McGinn looking off the table, Celtic have turned their attention to finalising a deal for RB Leipzig midfielder Bobby Clark, who is currently on loan at Championship side Derby County.

In fact, reports indicate that he is “expected” to join the Scottish giants for a fee of €6.9 million (£6m) during the January transfer window.

© IMAGO - John McGinn is set to sign a new contract at Aston Villa

What has John McGinn said?

While Celtic could swoop for McGinn in the future, the 30-year-old currently remains focused on extending his career at Villa.

Speaking to BirminghamLive in August, McGinn admitted: “I’ve managed to go along with the club and improved. I still feel like I'm improving.

“I will now always have the challenge that now I’m 30 - can I keep doing it and can I keep going? But I feel good and I'm enjoying playing here.

“European nights at Villa Park... it is surreal when you think about it. It has been a long time here. You never know, maybe a few years more, but that's up to the club.”

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