Exclusive: Aston Villa hailed for "bargain" EFL transfer that was "an absolute steal" | OneFootball

John McGinn has proven to be a rather shrewd addition at Villa Park over the years

Since Aston Villa were promoted from the Championship in 2019, only a few players have lived through the whole experience from the second tier to the UEFA Champions League success that the club are currently having - one of those is John McGinn.

The Scottish midfielder arrived at Villa Park in the summer of 2018 from Hibernian for a reported fee of £2.8 million, and he arrived during the Midlands club's third straight season in the Championship.

Following relegation in 2016, Villa failed to get back to the Premier League at the first attempt as they finished a paltry 13th in the table, before Fulham defeated them at Wembley in the play-off final in the following season - McGinn was one of many to arrive in and around the time the 2018-19 campaign started, with the sole aim being promotion back to the promised land.

272 appearances later, and McGinn is a Villa cult hero, and has continued to be regularly selected by every manager that has passed through the club in his time there, such is his reliability and consistency.

Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn dubbed one of the best EFL bargains in history

There's little doubt that McGinn has exceeded all expectations since arriving at Aston Villa, going from a Championship starter to featuring regularly on European nights at Villa Park.

In his only Championship season with Villa, McGinn notched seven goals and also contributed with nine assists, playing mainly in a holding midfield role alongside the experienced Irish veteran Glenn Whelan.

And when asked as to whether McGinn has to be considered as one of the best bargain buys in EFL history, ex-Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie was adamant that the versatile Scotsman has to be in the reckoning for that accolade.

"Is John McGinn one of the biggest transfer bargains in EFL history? I think you'd have to say so, wouldn't you?" Hendrie exclusively told Football League World.

"What they bought him for a good few years back now from Hibs, I'm not sure what the fee was, but I know it wasn't an awful lot - you could tell though as soon as he came into the frame he was an absolute steal of a buy, and he's proved his weight in gold for Villa season after season.

"Obviously he became captain as well and he's always been linked away from the football club, but he stuck to Villa colours and that's been fantastic.

"You look at some of the players that have been bought into the EFL and John McGinn is definitely one of those standout players, there's no doubt of that, his all-round game is absolutely fantastic.

"He's definitely for me one of the top signings in EFL history for what he came for, which I know is very, very low."

John McGinn's versatility and longevity makes him a historic Aston Villa buy

When McGinn arrived at Villa nearly seven years ago, many wouldn't have expected that 23-year-old to go on to become a household Premier League name, who would lead out his club in the premier European competition.

But McGinn took the step up to the top flight in his stride in 2019, and aside from the odd injury he has been a regular starter for multiple head coaches in the Premier League, which shows exactly how highly he's thought of.

In recent years though under Unai Emery, the Scotsman has played more often in a wide role - not exactly natural to him given he was developed as a central midfielder, but it's something he's taken in his stride and he's performed admirably.