Callum McGregor has carried Celtic for years, domestically and in Europe. The captain remains the heartbeat of Martin O’Neill’s side, but the physical and tactical burden placed on him is becoming harder to ignore.
That is why a player like Tomas Soucek should immediately enter the conversation after West Ham suffered relegation from the Premier League.
Celtic do not lack technical midfielders. What they lack is physical authority beside McGregor, especially in Europe where the pace and power of games often expose the squad’s limitations.
You have £20m to spend in the January transfer window. How are you spending it?
Callum McGregor cannot keep doing everything for Celtic
McGregor dictates possession, protects the defence and drives Celtic through matches. Too often, he is asked to solve every midfield problem at once.
That becomes even more obvious in the Champions League. Celtic regularly struggle aerially and physically against stronger opposition. McGregor ends up firefighting instead of controlling games.
Celtic’s problem is not technical quality. It is midfield balance.
Tomas Soucek offers something Celtic simply do not have
Soucek would bring a profile O’Neill currently lacks in midfield. The West Ham midfielder is dominant aerially, aggressive defensively and experienced at the highest level of English football.
He also scores important goals through late runs into the box and set-piece situations. Those qualities would immediately reduce pressure on McGregor both physically and tactically.
Most importantly, Soucek would complement the Celtic captain rather than replace him. McGregor is at his best when he can dictate play instead of constantly battling for second balls and defensive recovery.
West Ham relegation could create a rare opportunity
Celtic would still face obvious financial challenges. Soucek’s current West Ham deal reflects his Premier League status and experience.
Still, relegation changes conversations. Clubs look to reduce wage bills, experienced players reassess their futures and opportunities appear that normally would not exist.
Celtic may never get a better chance to at least explore whether a player of Soucek’s calibre becomes attainable.
Celtic need more ready-made experience like Soucek
O’Neill has added promising younger players, but Celtic still need proven experience if they want to improve in Europe.
Celtic fans have watched McGregor carry too much responsibility in Europe for years.
Soucek represents the type of signing the club too often avoid. Reliable, physically dominant and immediately ready to improve the first team.
Celtic cannot keep asking McGregor to solve every European problem alone. If West Ham’s relegation opens even the smallest door for a player like Soucek, the board should be pushing hard to walk through it.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
