Aston Villa planning to hold contract extension talks with midfielder John McGinn | OneFootball

Aston Villa want to open contract talks with Scotland international midfielder John McGinn as they look to keep suitors off him, according to The Athletic.

Newcastle United want to lure the Villa star away from the Villa Park club, but manager Unai Emery, who shares a close but frank relationship with the 30-year-old, wants to hold on to him.

McGinn has two years left on his current and the Midlands club plan to discuss the terms of a potential contract extension soon.

Villa have already agreed to hand French left-back Lucas Digne a two-year contract extension, and their captain could now be next in line given how important he has been to the squad.

The Villans will attempt to secure a berth in the league phase of the 2026-27 Champions League after missing out on qualification for the elite European competition next season due to an inferior goal difference to Newcastle United at the end of the last Premier League campaign.

They will look to win the Europa League and also challenge for a top-five finish in the English top-flight, and they need McGinn available for the tasks ahead in 2025-26.

The former Hibernian star featured in 49 games across all competitions last season, scoring four goals and assisting six others, and he remains crucial to the plans of the Spanish boss going forward.

Everton were also credited with an interest in him earlier in the summer but have moved on and signed English midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea instead.

Keeping McGinn for as long as possible will be huge for Villa, and Emery will hope more key players can follow suit as he looks to build a squad capable of challenging for the league title.

England international striker Ollie Wakins is another player who has been linked with an exit all summer, with Newcastle United believed to be monitoring his situation, but the Midlands club will hope to hold on to him as they look to impress across all competitions next season.