“Too much too soon in terms of change”. That is the view of Celtic skipper Callum McGregor, regarding why things failed to work out for former boss Wilfried Nancy.
The ex-Scotland international, to his credit, has held the dressing room together this season, even amid so much turmoil, having not allowed Nancy’s 33-day disaster to sink the Glasgow side even further.
Back on steady footing under Martin O’Neill’s watch, a turbulent 2025/26 can still end on a high note, both domestically and in Europe, with McGregor himself likely to be central to that.
Celtic’s chief orchestrator in the middle of the park, watching the 32-year-old is like watching a master at work, with the academy graduate having been so influential and reliable now for over a decade at Parkhead.
In truth, he’s had to be, considering the lack of a genuine alternative to him in that deep-lying role. He can’t go on forever, however, with a successor needing to be found.
Celtic ready to negotiate deal for the next McGregor
In a similar vein to say Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, McGregor is simply ever-present in this Celtic side, such is his undeniable importance, with it having been telling that he still featured for 88 minutes in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Auchinleck Talbot.
This team, as that selection indicated, needs its captain, but it is unsustainable to not have a genuine back-up, not least with McGregor set to turn 33 in June.
There has been talk of a move for 28-year-old RB Leipzig star Xaver Schlager in recent days, although according to The Celtic Way, that is something of a non-starter.
As per that same report, however, one deal that could click into gear is Celtic’s pursuit of Canada international, Niko Sigur, with talks likely to be resumed as the Hoops move to ‘return to the negotiating table’.
Encouragingly, while Rangers are also in the picture, Alistair Johnston’s international teammate is said to favour a move to Parkhead, and that desire to join could well put O’Neill’s side at an advantage.
This comes following reports that the Hoops were ‘one step away’ from signing the Hajduk Split midfielder.
Why Sigur could be the McGregor successor at Celtic
Many have tried, and failed, to be the understudy to McGregor in that ‘number six’ role, be it James McCarthy, Oliver Abilgaard or Tomoki Iwata, with the Glasgow side having been far more successful in recruiting more advanced, creative midfielders in recent times.
Reo Hatate, Paulo Bernardo, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren and Luke McCowan, all of whom look far more suited to a number eight or right-sided number ten berth, ensuring the reliance remains on McGregor to pull the strings behind them.
While Sigur has often been seen at right-back, he has featured just as regularly as a defensive midfielder, making him the perfect candidate to rival and potentially even replace McGregor later down the line.
Indeed, at just 22, the versatile talent would hopefully be a long-term acquisition for those at Parkhead, having already racked up 101 appearances back in Croatia, scoring five goals and registering three assists.
He may not be prolific, but when he does score, it tends to be worth the wait, mirroring McGregor in that knack for producing the spectacular from range.
That ability to step forward and unleash a rocket from outside the box has been a trademark of the Scotsman’s game in recent years. How often has he pulled a rabbit out of the hat when needed for his side?
The two men are also alike in their ability to control a game from deep, keeping things ticking over, while letting the other creative talents ahead of them shine.
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McGregor vs Sigur – 25/26 League stats |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stat (*per game) |
||
|
Games |
22 |
16 |
|
Starts |
21 |
11 |
|
Goals |
2 |
1 |
|
Assists |
1 |
1 |
|
Big chances created |
3 |
1 |
|
Key passes* |
0.9 |
0.7 |
|
Pass accuracy* |
94% |
90% |
|
Tackles & interceptions* |
2.4 |
3.3 |
|
Possession lost* |
6.7 |
5.8 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
For instance, in the Croatian top-flight this season, Sigur boasts an average pass accuracy rate of 90%, as per Sofascore, having lost the ball just 5.8 times per game. McGregor, for comparison, is only just ahead with a 94% pass rate, while losing the ball just 6.7 times himself per game in the Premiership.
There is also the defensive side of the game to go with that midfield silk, with Sigur averaging 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game – albeit while lining up at full-back on occasion – while McGregor averages 2.4 for that same metric this season.
Having seen the success too of snapping up Canada teammate Johnston in recent times, Celtic could now repeat the trick to land their new midfield chief in waiting.
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