It is expected that the midfielder will miss around three months of action amid fears that his season might have been over
Scotland midfielder John McGinn suffered an ankle fracture in Premier League action against Southampton on Saturday, Aston Villa have confirmed.
McGinn went down injured after just five minutes of Villa’s 3-1 defeat at Villa Park, having caught his studs in the turf, and had to be helped off the pitch to be replaced by Marvelous Nakamba.
Manager Dean Smith later revealed the player had gone for an X-ray, and the club revealed the extent of the injury on Sunday via social media.
“He got his studs caught in the turf,” Smith said in the aftermath of the loss.
“John got ahead of their centre-half and he brings him down. We should get a free-kick, but we don’t.
“John gets frustrated and starts chasing the ball and unfortunately gets injured in front of us in the dugout.”
It is reported McGinn, who has been linked with Manchester United in recent weeks, is expected to miss three months following initial fears his season would be over.
The news still comes as a sizeable blow to both Villa, who are 18th in the Premier League, and Scotland, as Steve Clarke’s men aim to reach Euro 2020.
McGinn, who has caught the eye with his all-action performances and energy for the Birmingham side, has three league goals this term but netted an outstanding seven times in Euros qualifying for Scotland, with a play-off semi-final still to come against Israel on March 26.
With that fixture at Hampden three months away, it seems that the 25-year-old former Hibs star will not be ready in time or for any potential final away against Serbia or Norway a matter of days later.
He has played 63 times for the Villans since moving south in the summer of 2018 and has emerged as one of their key players, having netted the winning goal in their play-off final victory over Derby.
Earlier this year, he signed a five-year deal that will keep him tied to the club until 2024.
Villa’s first matches without McGinn see them face Norwich at home on Boxing Day in a vital relegation match up, before tackling Watford a couple of days later away from home.
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