John McGinn admits Aston Villa have made some mistakes in previous transfer windows, but claims “top players” will be attracted by the prospect of working with Unai Emery after the club qualified for European football for the first time since 2010.
The curtain fell on Villa’s season last weekend with a 2-1 win over Brighton which sealed a top seven finish and qualification for the Europa Conference League. Villa will have to overcome a two-legged play-off tie in August to advance into the group stage of the competition, but until then, Emery will be focused on the summer window and preparing his squad for what he hopes will be a jam-packed schedule next term.
He wants his side to compete on all fronts; in the Premier League, in Europe and in the two domestic cups too. McGinn is hopeful that the head coach will be able to attract an exciting calibre of player in the coming weeks and months.
Asked after the win over Brighton whether Villa were about to “splash the cash,” McGinn replied: “It’s not always the right thing to do, is it? We have splashed the cash before and it has not worked
“It has to be the right character and the right player. I think with this manager, he will pick the right people to bring this forward, this project.
This is what I envisaged when I signed. This is what the owners envisaged. There have been plenty of bumps along the way but here we are now.
“It is a really exciting time. If you want to attract top players they demand European football and we have that now.”
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