Manchester United are on red alert for John McGinn after Aston Villa cast their eyes towards Wilfred Ndidi.
Villa boss Steven Gerrard’s number one target is getting a high-quality defensive midfielder into the club and Leicester midfielder Ndidi is on his radar, as exclusively revealed by the Daily Star.
That could give United the encouragement they need to try to grab Scotland international midfielder McGinn.
United's new CEO Richard Arnold has identified the need for the Red Devils to add a holding midfielder with Nemanja Matic facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford.
Villa ruled out selling McGinn in January with the player recommended to the club by Sir Alex Ferguson as a potential signing.
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Gerrard, meanwhile, has £50m at his disposal to get the man he wants with Brighton ’s Yves Bissouma and Ndidi are top of his list and he’s desperate to land one of them.
Villa have already failed in one bid to get Mali international Bissouma from The Seagulls.
They submitted a formal £30m offer for the 25-year-old last month but hit a brick wall.
Bissouma has 18 months left on his contract but with Arsenal, United and Newcastle also showing interest, Brighton could wait for a bidding war to start to get nearer their £45m valuation.
Gerrard has already indicated that he’s prepared to re-visit that in the summer, saying: "We put in a bid for Bissouma which was turned away, and we respected it.
"If a move is not right then we might have to be patient and that’s where we are right now.”
But he also has Ndidi right up at the top of his wish list as he prepares for his first summer transfer window at the club since making the move south from Rangers.
Nigerian international Ndidi, who has also been linked with United and Arsenal, signed a bumper six-year deal at Leicester in 2018 which ties him to the club until the summer of 2024.
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers would actively resist any moves for the player but knows The Foxes could be prone to a big enough offer.
Villa’s ambitious board have already shown they are prepared to back Gerrard by sanctioning the £25m arrival of Lucas Digne and the sensational loan deal which brought Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.
And he’ll have a sizeable summer war chest regardless of whether they decide to cash in on midfielders McGinn and Douglas Luiz.
Arsenal had a January bid for Brazil international Luiz knocked back but may come calling again in the summer.
Scotland international McGinn has constantly been linked with a move to Old Trafford but whether that materialises is entirely dependent on who takes over from Ralf Ragnick.
Gerrard has previously spoke of his fondness for McGinn, who has caught the eye of United fans.
"We love the player, we love the human being," the Villa boss said last month.
"We certainly see it as a compliment when our best players, or any of our players, are linked with big moves away. I think it shows they are playing at a consistent level."
