Callum McGregor rightly deserves to be in the conversation of Celtic legends.
Having been at the club ever since he was a boy, except for a brief loan spell at Notts County, all McGregor has ever known is Celtic.
He was given the daunting task of replacing Scott Brown as the club captain, but has made that position his own.
McGregor is one of Celtic’s most decorated players of all time, and will hope to win more trophies; however, a curveball has been thrown his way.
Reports have suggested that Brendan Rodgers wants to reunite with McGregor at Al Qadsiah but in simple terms, this cannot be allowed to happen.
Do you think Callum McGregor would ever leave Celtic?
Callum McGregor is one of the few leaders in the Celtic squad
Leadership, or the lack of it, is a huge problem in this Celtic side.
Aside from McGregor, the only two who look like genuine leaders are Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kasper Schmeichel – the former currently out injured.
Deployed in the heartbeat of midfield, McGregor is central to making Celtic tick.
The 32-year-old brings a calming presence to the middle of the park, and can always find an extra gear.
That rubs off on the rest of his teammates and encourages them to go the extra mile too. Losing that tenacity and hunger would be detrimental and set Celtic back a lot further.
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Losing Callum McGregor would be a travesty
What Celtic need more than ever is people who know and love the club.
Regardless of what happens for the rest of the campaign, a huge rebuild is expected in the summer.
Celtic will still need some players who know the side well. Nobody knows Celtic better than McGregor.
While it is highly unlikely that he will head for the exit door, if there is even the slightest suggestion, the Hoops must ensure it doesn’t happen.
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