John McGinn set to explode at Aston Villa after confirmed news – expert
The Aston Villa captaincy will help John McGinn explode as a player, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Aston Villa captain and record Premier League goalscorer claimed McGinn may also score more goals as skipper.
The club confirmed last week (27 July) that the 27-year-old had replaced Tyrone Mings as team captain.
Mings was only handed the armband last summer (2021) when Jack Grealish left for Man City.
While McGinn will be the team captain, Ashley Young is the new club captain and Emiliano Martinez and Diego Carlos will serve as his deputies.
Asked whether the captaincy will help McGinn on the pitch, Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “100 per cent.
“When I was captain it gives you that drive when you’re team is drawing or losing you think ‘Let me go and get the goal’. That’s what Steven Gerrard would do.
“You think ‘Ok, some people aren’t turning up in the game, some people are hiding, they don’t look like they are it, it’s on me to get that equaliser myself, drive forward, take strikes on’.
“It will add that responsibility to his game and it will only benefit Aston Villa.”
McGinn joined Aston Villa from Hibernian in the summer of 2018 and is the club’s longest-serving player.
The Scotland international, who was Mings’ deputy in the 2021-22 campaign, has scored 16 times and provided 23 assists in 147 appearances across all competitions for the Midlands giants.
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