Three years ago, Celtic supporters were left reeling as one of the most talented midfielders in the Scottish Premiership moved south of the border, joining a club in England’s second tier for a fee that would send even Tim Wonnacott into a spin.
Aston Villa paid just £2 million for John ‘Meatball’ McGinn.
12 months later, the Midland giants were rumoured to be demanding £50 million for a one-man wrecking ball of a midfielder who, after dragging Villa back to the big-time, was labelled by Steve Bruce as one of his ‘best ever signings’.
Now, it’s probably a rather fanciful to suggest that Ali McCann will be swigging champagne on the Wembley pitch in May next year. Preston North End are 16th in the table and do not have a Jack Grealish, a Tammy Abraham or a Sam Johnstone at their disposal.
But, three years after McGinn slipped through their fingers, many at Parkhead are wondering whether history has just repeated itself.
Have Celtic missed out on another John McGinn?
Celtic scouted Northern Ireland international McCann on a regular basis as St Johnstone enjoyed the best season in their history last term, following up League Cup glory with victory over Hibernian at Hampden Park as the Saints secured the most unlikely of doubles.
McCann seemed the perfect fit for Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic too; a deep-lying, string-pulling, tempo-setting distributor in the mould of Northern Ireland team-mate Steve Davis.
The ‘number six’ role in Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 formation looks made for a player of McCann’s ilk.
But as Preston secured what looks like a ‘bargain of the century’ sort of transfer – landing the PFA Young Player of the Year nominee for just over £1 million, Celtic were nowhere to be seen.
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