Now that the 2025/26 campaign is over, Aston Villa supporters can enjoy the upcoming World Cup and see how some of the club’s players fare on the biggest stage of all.
It will be particularly interesting to see how John McGinn gets on with Scotland at the tournament, as they face footballing giants Brazil in their group.
The Scottish star enjoyed a phenomenal season with the Villans, producing ten goals and seven assists in 44 appearances in all competitions, and should go to the World Cup full of confidence.
McGinn will be looking to be a difference-maker for his country in what could be a historic moment for Steve Clarke’s side, and his form for Villa in recent months suggests that he has a good chance of being just that.
The left-footed star often played on the right flank for Unai Emery this season, cutting in on his left foot, but it remains to be seen where he will play for Scotland.
Aston Villa closing in on deal for Serie A forward
Whilst McGinn, who provided an assist in the Europa League final against Freiburg, has been a fantastic player off the right wing for the club, the Villans may already be thinking about what comes next.
The Scotland international turns 32 this year and the club are reportedly looking at a younger forward who could come in to allow the skipper to move back into a central midfield role.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa are eyeing up a move to bring Matias Soule to the club in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Villans have submitted an official offer to sign the Argentine forward from Italian giants Roma, which means that talks have already been held between the two teams.
It adds that Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is prepared to cash in on the left-footed star, as he eyes a move for Marseille winger Mason Greenwood, and that a fee of up to £35m would be enough to secure his services.
Gazzetta dello Sport also reveals that the Serie A side need to make a sale before the end of June, which means that this deal could move quickly in the coming weeks.
How Matias Soule could be Aston Villa’s new John McGinn
As aforementioned, McGinn was often the go-to man for Emery on the right side of the attack in the Premier League and the Europa League this season, as he is a left-footed player who can open up the pitch on that side.
Like the Scottish star, Soule is a left-footed forward who typically operates on the right flank, which means that he can assume that role within Emery’s tactical set-up if he joins from Roma in the summer.
Their respective performances at league level in the 2025/26 campaign even suggest that the Argentine star could be even more effective for the Villans in that position.
| 25/26 season | Soule (Serie A) | McGinn (PL) |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 33 | 30 |
| xG | 3.98 | 2.96 |
| Goals | 6 | 5 |
| Big chances created | 5 | 7 |
| xA | 4.21 | 3.99 |
| Assists | 5 | 4 |
| Successful dribbles per game | 1.1 | 0.6 |
They both put up similar offensive numbers in the Serie A and the Premier League, but the 23-year-old star scored more goals, created more xA, and provided more assists than McGinn.
The most impressive thing about Soule is that he has delivered at the top end of the pitch for several seasons now in the Serie A, with five goals and five assists in the 2024/25 campaign and 11 goals and three assists in the 2023/24 term.
He is not a player who has had a rare year in front of goal and is likely to regress upon joining Villa. Instead, Emery would be signing a star who has proven that he can deliver goals and assists on a fairly regular basis in one of Europe’s major leagues.
Soule, who was described as a “devastating” winger by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could be a fantastic signing for the Villans because he has the tactical profile to fit Emery’s system, as a left-footed right winger, and has the quality to provide goals and assists.
His arrival at Villa Park would then allow McGinn to move back into a central midfield role as he ages and potentially sees his mobility regress, competing with the likes of Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana instead.
Therefore, the Villans should be pushing to get this deal over the line in the coming weeks before any other clubs attempt to hijack a move for the left-footed star, as Emery could have the next McGinn on his hands.
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