Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn will get the summer to work on becoming a more well-rounded No.6, according to Birmingham Live.
And a number of Villa supporters have been sharing their disappointment over the news on social media.
McGinn, who played at the European Championships for Scotland this summer, has been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent months.
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However, Birmingham Live expect the 26-year-old, on £50,000-a-week at Villa Park, to feature alongside Marvelous Nakamba in a defensive midfield role against Watford on the opening day.
Douglas Luiz is away due to his involvement in the Olympics with Brazil and the report suggests a lot rests on McGinn being defensively-minded once again.
Smith mainly tinkered between a 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 system last season, with McGinn playing in an attacking midfield role on just two occasions.
Birmingham Live claimed McGinn’s threatening attacking runs in behind opposition centre-backs could now be a thing of the past.
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Villa fans react
@AVFC_News shared the report on McGinn on Twitter on Thursday. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply…
“I beg we sack Smith soon”
“Why?? Clearly much better playing higher up the pitch”
“McGinn is much better going forward IMO.”
“McGinn is so much better carrying the ball up the pitch and arriving late into the box”
“N’Golo McGinn is not what we need lol. Sign a No. 6. I want to try McGinn at CAM again tbh he’s been good there.”
“A No.6 who cant recycle the ball just play Naka and Luiz man“
