Callum McGregor: Future Manager of Celtic?
Callum McGregor has spent a decade dictating Celtic’s rhythm from midfield. Now, one of the club’s most decorated modern managers believes he could one day dictate everything.
Martin O’Neill has tipped the Celtic captain to become a future manager at Parkhead, after the 33-year-old moved to cool any uncertainty over his own future. McGregor, who had been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, held talks in the summer with chief executive Michael Nicholson and made his stance clear: he is happy to stay with the Scottish champions.
For a support still wary of losing key figures to the money on offer abroad, that message matters. McGregor remains the heartbeat of the side, and O’Neill’s backing only underlines how deeply he is woven into the fabric of the club. The former Celtic boss believes the midfielder has the temperament and intelligence to step into the dugout when his playing days are over, a notion that will resonate with fans who have watched him grow from academy prospect to captain and serial winner.
While McGregor’s future points firmly towards Glasgow’s east end, Celtic’s wider transfer picture is more complex.
Celtic hold firm, targets pushed back
On the left flank, Celtic have rebuffed an approach from Osasuna for Kieran Tierney. The 29-year-old Scotland international, whose name still carries weight in Glasgow after his first spell at the club, remains a wanted man, but the Scottish champions are not entertaining the Spanish interest at this stage.
Their own recruitment drive has hit some early resistance.
An opening bid of around £6m for Frosinone winger Fares Ghedjemis has been knocked back. The Serie A club want to keep the 23-year-old Algeria international, but talks between the clubs are ongoing. Celtic see the wide areas as a key zone to refresh, and the fact negotiations remain alive suggests they are not prepared to walk away easily.
The pursuit of Mika Baur has followed a similar pattern. Celtic are preparing an improved, structured offer worth around £5m for the 22-year-old Paderborn midfielder, with the player keen to push through a move to Glasgow. Yet on the German side of the deal, the message has been more cautious. A £4m bid has already been rejected and head coach Ralf Kettemann has publicly stated he expects Baur to stay. For now, Celtic face a test of how far they are willing to go.
On another flank of their scouting map, Real Oviedo have turned down an offer of roughly £6.2m from Lens for winger Haissem Hassan, a player also linked with Celtic. The Spanish club’s stance hints at a rising market for wide attackers, one Celtic must navigate carefully if they want value as well as quality.
Rangers adjust course as Hull step in
Across the city, Rangers’ summer planning has taken a different turn in midfield.
Hull City are closing in on Tromso’s 20-year-old Jens Hjerto-Dahl, with the English club set to beat both Rangers and Cardiff City to his signature. Rangers have now withdrawn from the race, leaving Hull as front-runners for a player seen as a promising long-term project rather than an instant headline act.
On the wings, Rangers remain active. They have held discussions with Brighton & Hove Albion over Amario Cozier-Duberry, but Brighton are in no rush to cash in on the 21-year-old. The Premier League side have already turned down a £5m bid from Anderlecht, underlining the level of competition and the premium attached to young attacking talent.
Former Rangers loanee Mikey Moore is also on the move. Cologne are favourites to sign the 18-year-old Tottenham Hotspur winger on loan, with talks at an advanced stage amid interest from several clubs. His time in Scotland clearly did little to harm his reputation.
Elsewhere in Scotland and beyond
Further down the Premiership ladder, St Mirren are standing firm over Killian Phillips. The club insist they have received no contact from any suitors despite speculation surrounding the 24-year-old midfielder, whose energy and consistency have inevitably drawn attention.
In England’s lower leagues, Notts County have expressed an interest in Northampton Town’s Scottish midfielder Dean Campbell. The 25-year-old, a combative presence at the base of midfield, is on the radar of several League One clubs, with Notts County among those monitoring his situation.
Brighton & Hove Albion, meanwhile, continue to stockpile emerging talent. They have agreed a fee with Manchester City for 17-year-old Scottish winger Mason Stephens, who is expected to sign a three-year contract. It is another reminder of how aggressively Premier League clubs now move for teenagers, long before they have fully broken through.
St Johnstone have been dealt a blow in their hopes of a significant windfall for Adama Sidibeh. The striker, who had been tipped for a £1.5m move amid Championship interest, has suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Stockport County. Any major transfer now looks likely to be delayed, if it happens at all, leaving St Johnstone to reassess what they might realistically recoup.
Through it all, one constant runs quietly beneath the noise of bids and rumours: Callum McGregor, still anchoring Celtic’s midfield, now being spoken of as a manager in waiting. If O’Neill is right, the most influential chapter of his Celtic story might not be the one he is currently writing with his boots.
