Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has "admirers" behind the scenes at Old Trafford amid links to a Manchester United move, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Ralf Rangnick took over as the Red Devils' interim manager last month and he will be given the opportunity to bolster his options when the transfer window reopens at the turn of the year.
What's the latest news involving McGinn?
The Sun have revealed that McGinn is among Manchester United's January targets but could come at a cost of £50million.
The report suggests Rangnick has added the 42-cap Scotland international to his shortlist due to the uncertainty surrounding the future of midfield trio Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Donny van de Beek.
It is not the first time McGinn has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford as former Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was keen on securing his services two years ago, only to opt against strengthening his interest due to Villa's sizeable asking price.
Sir Alex Ferguson, who remains on the Manchester United board having walked away from the manager's job in 2013, is known to be an admirer of McGinn and ex-Villa scout Bobby Jenks claimed the 79-year-old was unsure as to why a move was not made in 2019.
Should the Red Devils lodge a bid, Villa would be in a strong negotiating position as McGinn's £25,000-per-week contract does not expire until the summer of 2025.
What has Pete O'Rourke said about McGinn?
O'Rourke is not surprised by the speculation linking McGinn with a January move to Manchester United.
The journalist has revealed the central midfielder is highly-regarded by key figures behind the scenes at Old Trafford.
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As a result, O'Rourke feels the Red Devils could lodge a concrete bid this time around, unlike in 2019.
O'Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: "John McGinn, I know for sure, has got admirers within the Manchester United hierarchy."
How has McGinn performed so far this season?
McGinn has been made to contend with a change in management after Dean Smith was sacked and replaced by Steven Gerrard as Villa's head coach last month.
But that has not had an impact on McGinn's playing time, with him starting every match since Gerrard's move into the Villa dugout.
The 27-year-old has only failed to feature in one Premier League fixture since the campaign got underway in August and he has shown his cutting edge in the final third by contributing three goals and two assists.
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