Callum McGregor: Future Celtic Manager?
Callum McGregor has long been the heartbeat of Celtic’s midfield. Now, one of the club’s most decorated modern managers believes he could one day be its brain on the touchline as well.
Martin O’Neill has tipped the 33-year-old captain to become a future Celtic manager, after McGregor moved to end any doubt over his own immediate future. The midfielder is understood to have told chief executive Michael Nicholson he is happy to stay with the Scottish champions, cooling talk of a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia and reinforcing his status as the club’s on-field standard-bearer.
O’Neill, who knows exactly what it takes to carry the weight of Celtic expectation, sees the same steel in McGregor. The former boss has spoken of the midfielder’s managerial potential and revealed that summer talks took place between McGregor and Nicholson about his long-term path, a conversation that now looks more like strategic planning than exit plotting.
While McGregor closes the door on uncertainty, Celtic’s recruitment department is very much in motion.
The champions have knocked back an approach from Osasuna for Kieran Tierney, with the Spanish club testing the water over a move for the 29-year-old Scotland left-back. Tierney’s situation remains a live subplot of the window, but Celtic have made their stance clear on the opening enquiry.
On the flanks, the picture is more complicated. Frosinone have rejected an initial Celtic bid of around £6m for Fares Ghedjemis. The 23-year-old Algeria winger, who has also been linked with Rangers, is a player the Serie A side want to keep, yet negotiations remain active between the clubs. The Italian side may be holding firm for now, but the door is not shut.
Celtic are also working on a deal for Mika Baur. One offer, around £4m, has already been turned down, with Paderborn head coach Ralf Kettemann publicly stating he expects the 22-year-old midfielder to stay. Even so, Celtic are preparing an improved, structured package worth around £5m as Baur continues to push for a move to Glasgow. The tug-of-war is clear: a club unwilling to lose a key player, and a footballer who sees his next step elsewhere.
Another wide option on the radar, Haissem Hassan, is proving equally difficult to prise away. Real Oviedo have rejected an offer of roughly £6.2m from Lens for the 24-year-old winger, who has been linked with Celtic. Any move for the Frenchman will demand serious money and patience.
Rangers Situation
Across the divide, Rangers find themselves edged out in one race and cautious in another.
Hull City are set to beat both Rangers and Cardiff City to the signing of Jens Hjerto-Dahl from Tromso. The 20-year-old midfielder had attracted strong interest, but Hull have emerged as clear front-runners after Rangers stepped back from the chase. With the Ibrox club withdrawing, the path is open for the Championship side to close the deal.
Rangers have also held talks with Brighton & Hove Albion over Amario Cozier-Duberry. The 21-year-old winger is admired, but Brighton are in no hurry to cash in, having already rejected a £5m offer from Anderlecht. Any agreement will require Rangers to navigate a seller under no pressure and a market that knows the value of young, attacking talent.
Elsewhere in Scotland
Elsewhere in Scotland, clubs are bracing for late-window twists of their own.
St Mirren insist there has been no contact from any side for Killian Phillips, despite speculation around the 24-year-old midfielder. The club’s stance is simple: noise outside, silence inside.
In League One, Notts County have registered an interest in Northampton Town’s Scottish midfielder Dean Campbell. The 25-year-old is being tracked by several clubs at that level, with County among those weighing up a move as they try to add bite and control in the middle of the park.
Further down the age ladder, Brighton & Hove Albion have agreed a fee with Manchester City for Scottish winger Mason Stephens. The 17-year-old is expected to sign a three-year deal, another reminder of how aggressively Premier League clubs are moving to secure emerging talent before it explodes on a bigger stage.
For St Johnstone, the market has delivered a setback rather than a windfall. Hopes of a significant sell-on fee for Adama Sidibeh have taken a hit after the Stockport County striker, previously tipped for a £1.5m move amid Championship interest, suffered a hamstring injury. The timing is brutal: just as the numbers started to rise, the striker’s momentum stalled.
Back in Glasgow, though, the picture is clearer. Callum McGregor stays, and Martin O’Neill sees a captain who might one day trade the armband for the technical area. For Celtic, that’s more than just another contract decision. It’s the quiet beginning of a succession story that could shape the club’s next era.
