Celtic got a look at what life could look like after Callum McGregor’s playing days are over when he missed the Old Firm clash with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.
The former Scotland international missed the match through injury and Arne Engels was deployed in a deeper role than usual, with Reo Hatate and Luke McCowan either side of him.
Unfortunately, it was a disappointing afternoon for the Hoops as they lost 3-2 to their city rivals, despite coming from 2-0 down to make it 2-2 in the second half.
Why Callum McGregor is important to Celtic
McGregor’s absence was felt for multiple reasons because the central midfielder is a big cog in Brendan Rodgers’ system, whilst he is also the current club captain and leader in the dressing room.
The left-footed star operates at the base of the midfield and uses his composure and ability on the ball to dictate the tempo of matches, completing an eye-catching 94% of his attempted passes in the Premiership this season.
McGregor, who has scored eight goals in the league this term, tops the club’s collection of midfielders for passes completed per game (78.3) and pass accuracy (94%), which speaks to how important he is to the midfield set-up with his metronomic presence for Celtic.
Market Movers
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The Scottish star does turn 32 this summer, though, and Rodgers may have to start thinking about whom the next captain will be for the Hoops, and Cameron Carter-Vickers is one potential candidate – as the Hoops have hit the jackpot with the American titan.
Celtic struck gold on their next captain
Ange Postecoglou initially signed the USA international on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the 2021/22 campaign before the club swooped to sign him permanently for £6m at the end of that season, having been impressed by his performances.
This is his third season with the Hoops as a permanent player, and he is on course to help the club to a third Premiership title in that time, having also won the division in his season on loan at Parkhead.
The 27-year-old star, who was described as “aggressive” by Rodgers, has delivered consistently brilliant performances in that time, earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year in each campaign.
|
Date |
Market value |
|---|---|
|
June 2022 |
£5.8m |
|
November 2022 |
£7.9m |
|
March 2023 |
£9.2m |
|
June 2023 |
£10.8m |
|
May 2024 – present |
£11.7m |
|
Valuations via Transfermarkt |
|
As you can see in the table above, his defensive brilliance for Celtic has caused his market value to soar to a whopping £11.7m – millions more than what the club reportedly paid to sign him permanently from Spurs.
He has also developed into a leader for the Hoops. The central defender has captained the club on three occasions in the Premiership this season when McGregor has been absent, as well as in four league games last term, which shows that Rodgers believes he has the leadership qualities to be the next captain at Parkhead.
This means that Carter-Vickers could succeed the Scottish midfielder, who is four years older than him, as the new skipper in the future if he remains in Glasgow.
Overall, Postecoglou struck gold with Carter-Vickers because the central defender is worth millions more than what Celtic bought him for, and has the potential to be a future captain for the club, due to his performances on the pitch and his leadership on and off it.
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