Callum McGregor has killed off speculation that he could leave Celtic this summer.
‘It’s where I want to be, it’s where I want to play football,’ was his emphatic answer when asked directly about his role at the club.
Sky Sports were given access to the Celtic squad this morning as they build up for the start of the 26/27 SPFL season.
McGregor has so far been spared from any media duties around Celtic’s four pre-season friendlies.
That on top of an uncharacteristic interview towards the end of last season where he questioned Celtic’s ambition fuelled speculation that all wasn’t well between captain and club.
With two former Celtic managers now working in the Saudi Pro League there were some obvious connections being made.
McGregor had to wait until the age of 21 to make his first team debut.
Ronny Deila gave him his debut in 2014 with successive manager pinning their faith in the midfielder from the club academy.
CAPTAIN MCGREGOR DELIVERS THE TROPHIES
In 2021 Ange Postecoglou made McGregor his captain. In a very different way to Scott Brown, McGregor has thrived in the role, delivering five titles and six domestic trophies.
His highlight however may be the 24/25 Champions League campaign when Celtic took Bayern Munich to the 178th minute before missing out on a place in the last 16 of the competition.
Getting back to those levels is the benchmark.
Despite a slow start to transfer business McGregor believes that Celtic are bringing in the quality of player required to be competitive at the highest club level.
?? “It’s where I want to be. Ultimately I want to keep driving everything I possibly can to make sure this club is successful.”
Callum McGregor on his Celtic future, hope for signings & Champions League target ahead of Monday’s league opener against Dundee, live on Sky ?? pic.twitter.com/fN2aa3qmHG
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) July 29, 2026
2 minutes 50 seconds:
We’ve signed two strikers, two really good players.
Camilo has come in and done really well, Kasper has just joined us over the last 24 hours so it’s good signs, it’s positive steps and that is to add to what is a really good group already.
I don’t really think there’s a group of players and a group of staff that could have got us through that difficult moment as much as these boys did.
So it’s obviously about trying to add bits of quality but what we do have here is guys who want to work for the club, who are good footballers, who want to get better and ultimately did bring success to the football club during a difficult season.
We have the makings of a really, really good team.
The standard for us is trying to get to Champions League football, that’s where we want to be, it takes the club to a different level.
So can we keep pushing as players, as staff, and a football club to make sure we get there.
Asked directly about remaining at Celtic, at 3 minutes 50 seconds McGregor added:
Absolutely. This is a football club that’s been part of my whole life since I was eight, nine years old.
It’s where I want to be, it’s where I want to play football.
And ultimately, I want to keep driving everything that I can possibly do to make sure this club is successful.
Eventually, the day that you do leave it, you want to leave it in a really good place.
In football terms that is about as emphatic a statement as a player can make.
Nothing is ever 100% but those words from the Celtic skipper kill off any hint that he may be disillusioned by the direction that the club is moving in.
CELTIC SPLASH OUT ON STRIKER PARTNERSHIP
Spending between £15-18m on two strikers is unknown territory for Celtic fans.
Back in 2010 Neil Lennon splashed out £4m to put together Gary Hooper and Tony Stokes.
For three seasons they scored for fun. Driving Celtic to the first two SPL titles in their second run of nine-in-a-row.
The trend over the last decade has been towards playing with one striker and two wingers. Last season Daizen Maeda often doubled up, playing through the centre then onto the left wing during a match.
Duran and Hogh both appear to be at their best playing through the centre.
On Monday night at home to Dundee in the SPFL opener Celtic fans will get their first look at their new Danish strike.
With limited options on the wing it seems like there is a good chance that O’Neill will return to a forward partnership.
No pairing is going to rival Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton but 20 years down the line Celtic have strikers that their captain believes in.
Good to hear that – But I worry now that they know his stance that he canny go back on they’ll shite on him from a great height knowing he canny go back on that !