Jack Grealish 'laughed' when Steve Bruce told him Aston Villa were signing John McGinn

Jack Grealish 'laughed' when Steve Bruce told him Aston Villa were signing John McGinn,There are few things worse than being laughed at by the cool kids, and John McGinn has lifted the lid on Jack Grealish's embarrassing response after he joined Aston Villa

Jack Grealish ‘laughed’ when Steve Bruce told him Aston Villa were signing John McGinn

Aston Villa pulled a wild card move when they signed John McGinn in the summer 2018, but the left-field move has proved to be an inspired one.

After half a decade and 183 appearances at Villa Park, the club captain signed a new four-year contract this week to cement his place as one of Unai Emery's most treasured stars. And yet his arrival in Birmingham was met by mocking when Jack Grealish caught wind of the deal.

Steve Bruce was still at the helm when he informed Grealish – then captain at Villa – the club had agreed to sign a young Scottish midfielder from Hibernian. And the future Treble champion was hardly complimentary in his response.

“I had lots to prove, nobody knew who I was," McGinn told Villa TV after putting pen to paper on his new deal. "I remember Jack laughing when Steve Bruce told him, ‘It’s fine, don’t worry we’re signing a boy from Scotland.'"

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McGinn was a relative unknown south of the border despite winning domestic silverware with Hibernian and St. Mirren in the past. Fast-forward to today and Premier League audiences the world over know McGinn name, having risen to become a key staple for Villa and Scotland.

"He [Grealish] didn’t know who I was but I think it was nice in a way, I had to prove to people that I could cut it. I remember the first game against Wigan when I joined, I remember flying into a tackle and the place erupted and from that moment, I knew it was the right fit for me and the fans appreciate that every time I go on the park I give 110%.

"It’s not until you give yourself time to reflect that you realise just how much the club manages to get under your skin. Four years completed now and I’m going into my fifth season, and four more so this is home for me now and I’m delighted just to be part of it."

What's your favourite Jack Grealish moment from down the years? Let us know in the comments section below.

McGinn, 28, signed a new four-year contract at Aston Villa this week (Image: Anna Gowthorpe/REX/Shutterstock)

It wouldn't be long before £2.75million signing McGinn became friends with Grealish and started proving any doubters wrong. Villa earned promotion from the Championship in his first season at the club, where he's since become an essential part of the furniture.

To say the Scot has repaid his transfer fee would be an understatement, with Villa reportedly valuing their asset upwards of £40m today. McGinn was a crucial member of Emery's squad as they finished seventh in the Premier League this past season, earning a place in the Europa Conference League.

The pair were part of the same Villa squad that gained promotion from the Championship in 2019 (Image: Catherine Ivill)

Grealish, 27, has also moved on to bigger and better things after completing a historic trio of trophies with Manchester City last term, including the club's maiden Champions League title.

As for McGinn, the playmaker added he's still 'pinching himself' in disbelief he's a Premier League regular at a club like Villa. For all his humility, there aren't many players in England's top flight who would chuckle at him joining their ranks today.