Since securing promotion back to the Premier League in 2019, Aston Villa have spent millions in order to maintain their status as a top-flight team.
Under Unai Emery, this spending has taken on new heights, and with it, potentially bigger rewards. During the summer transfer window, the Spaniard splashed out £51.9m to sign Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen, while another £31.5m was spent in order to secure the services of defender Pau Torres from Villarreal.
With the Midlands side currently in touching distance of the top four in the Premier League table, while also through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, it's safe to say that the money has been well spent.
Might some of their recent success be down to a player who was bought before Emery joined the club, however, as John McGinn has emerged as one of their prized assets during their recent ascent up the league table.
The Scot has seen his value rise steadily over the years, and he is now worth more than some of his more esteemed teammates, with Leon Bailey being a notable example.
Leon Bailey’s market value
The Jamaican winger joined from Leverkusen in the summer of 2021, yet this has been his most productive season as a Villa player, and he could owe this success to Emery, who has given him plenty of freedom to express his attacking qualities.
Indeed, since the start of the campaign, Bailey has scored ten goals and registered nine assists in all competitions and has established himself as Emery’s first choice on the right side of the midfield, despite the presence of Diaby.
The Frenchman has often been pushed further forward into a more advanced role to make way for Bailey, such is his impressive form of late.
While his displays have been excellent, Bailey is valued at just €16.5m (£14m) according to Football Transfers.
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Of course, this could certainly increase should he maintain his current form in front of goal, but at this moment in time, McGinn is worth a lot more than his 26-year-old teammate.
John McGinn’s market value at Hibs
The Scot began his career with St Mirren before sealing a move to Hibernian in the summer of 2015, and he became an immediate hit by helping the Easter Road outfit win the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902 with a 3-2 win over Rangers in 2016.
Just before he left Edinburgh to move to the Midlands, his market value was a modest €2.7m (£2.3m) according to Football Transfers, and Villa managed to sign him for just under this, spending only £2m to bring him to the club in the summer of 2018.
Following two years in the Championship, Steve Bruce needed someone to help bolster Villa’s chances of making a return to the top flight, and McGinn proved to be the catalyst as they defeated Derby County in the 2019 Play-off final to reach the promised land after a three-year absence.
Bruce even went as far as lauding him as one of his finest ever signings, saying: "A club like Villa – we didn't have £2m, but in the end we got him.
"How we got him out of Celtic I don't know because his grandfather was the chairman. It took a couple of games of golf at the Belfry with his dad until we could muster the money together!
"I am delighted for the kid because he is a smashing lad. He has to be one of my best ever signings because he has a determination to do well.”
John McGinn’s market value at Aston Villa
The 29-year-old thrived during his first few years in the Premier League as Villa maintained their status, but his displays since Emery arrived have hit a new level and this has seen his value skyrocket recently.
Indeed, the midfielder is now currently worth €39.5m (£33.7m) as per Football Transfers and this is over double that of what Bailey is worth, showing how vital he is to the club.
There is no doubt this value could continue to rise if he leads the club to the Champions League group stages next season, or even helps them win the Europa Conference League.
Steven Gerrard even made him captain in the summer of 2022 and this is a role he continues to hold under Emery, signifying just how impressive a job he is doing.
Why John McGinn is valued so high
Hailed as a “relentless creature” by journalist Mat Kendrick during his first season at the club, McGinn has embodied those qualities during the 2023/24 campaign.
In the Premier League this season, McGinn has recovered 4.7 balls per game while winning 5.3 total duels per game as he continues to show dogged resilience in one-on-one battles.
€51.3m (£43.8m)
€48.2m (£41.1m)
€47.4m (£40.4m)
€45m (£38.4m)
€39.5m (£33.7m)
It is his attacking qualities which are shining through, however, and in the Villa squad, the 5 foot 10 gem currently ranks fourth for goals and assists in the top flight (eight), while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.7), third for big chances created (eight) and fourth for key passes per game (1.4), certainly showcasing his talents going forward.
With eight goals and four assists in all competitions, his desire to find a way into the opposition penalty area on a regular basis has been an added bonus for Emery, and it proves he is one of his most important players.
Having cost the club just £2m nearly six years ago, McGinn has certainly repaid this fee many times over and Villa have hit the jackpot on the Scotland sensation, who could still get even better.
While the likes of Diaby, Douglas Luiz and even Ollie Watkins are perhaps more established names, no one can underestimate just how crucial the former Hibs talent is to the club and their future ambitions.
The next few months could see the Midlands side qualify for the Champions League and secure a first major trophy in 28 years, and McGinn could be the captain to lead them to such important achievements.
