Pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to news from Celtic regarding a new deal for captain Callum McGregor.
What’s the latest Celtic news?
The Hoops have been busy so far this summer following a historic treble-winning campaign under Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian leaving Parkhead for Tottenham.
Celtic have since brought in Brendan Rodgers for a second stint as manager and look set to back the Northern Irishman by handing him a £30m transfer kitty.
New players have been brought in, with midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio joining from Valerenga and Melbourne City receptively, penning five-year deals in Scotland.
Meanwhile, star winger Jota has left Celtic for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m, with Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun a potential replacement.
The club have also acted quickly to tie down McGregor to a new contract, with Celtic confirming earlier in the week that the Scotland international has extended his stay until 2028 after signing a fresh five-year deal.
Talking to Football Insider, Hutton, who contributes for Sky Sports, was giving his reaction to a new contract for the midfielder. The former Scotland defender labelled McGregor as “outstanding” and said he could go on to win more trophies than former captain Scott Brown, describing it as “incredible”.
“I had no doubt in my mind that he would probably see out his career at Celtic.
“I think he has been outstanding for the football club and Scotland as well. The amount of trophies he has won, there is a massive chance he can now go and overtake Scott Brown and what he has achieved which is quite incredible.
“Sometimes this does happen, he is the captain and has been there since day one but he is not the kind of guy to complain about wages.
“I think it was just a case of signing him long-term and at the end of the day I think he deserves it, that is the big thing.”
Callum McGregor’s Celtic career
McGregor is a product of Celtic’s academy and has been on the books of the senior side since 2013.
He went out on loan to Notts County during the 2013/14 League One season and scored 12 goals in 37 third-tier games, form which helped him break into Celtic’s first team plans.
In total, McGregor has now made a whopping 419 senior appearances for the Hoops, scoring 62 goals and registering 71 assists. Now 30 years of age, McGregor appears to be going from strength to strength and is currently valued at a career-high €8.5m by Transfermarkt.
The midfielder has won eight Scottish Premiership titles, seven Scottish League Cups and five Scottish Cups and is just three behind Brown’s tally of 23 major honours with Celtic.
Therefore, should he remain at the club for the next five years as expected, you’d like to think there is a huge chance McGregor will go on to surpass Brown’s haul of 23 major honours, and you’d expect he will once again play a key role in Rodgers’ side during the 2023/24 campaign.