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Player shares Brendan Rodgers and Steve Bruce chats before deciding against Celtic move

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John McGinn of Aston Villa looks on during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Leicester City at Villa Park on December 08, 2019 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has explained on BBC Scottish football podcast why he did not join Celtic in the summer of 2018.

McGinn moved to Villa from Hibernian in the summer of 2018 for a transfer fee reported by The Times to be worth £2.75 million plus add-ons.

The Times claimed of interest in the Scotland international midfielder from Celtic at the time.

The 25-year-old has now disclosed the conversation he had with Brendan Rodgers and Steve Bruce before he made his decision.

Rodgers, now the manager of Leicester City in the Premier League, was in charge of Celtic at the time, while current Newcastle manager Steve Bruce was in the Villa hotseat.

McGinn said on BBC Scottish football podcast, as transcribed by The Daily Record: “It was important to weigh up everything and not just go with my heart because I had basically made up my mind I wanted to join Celtic.

“But I also had to weigh up in my mind how strong Celtic’s midfield had been for a long time. I remember speaking to Brendan Rodgers and he said the important thing I would take from it was I would play games.

“But Steve Bruce said I would play every game. I was used to playing week in week out at Hibs and it was so important to me that that carried on.”

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Stats

McGinn has made 18 appearances in the Premier League for Villa so far this season, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the process, according to WhoScored.

During the 2018-19 campaign, the Scotland international made 42 starts and one substitute appearance in the Championship for the Villans, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists in the process, according to WhoScored.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers before the Premier League match between Manchester City and Leicester City at Etihad Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Visionhaus/Visionhaus)