The signing Celtic may make to lastly change Callum McGregor

Celtic‘s sturdy begin to the 2026/27 marketing campaign continued on Saturday night with a thumping 4-0 victory away at Dundee United within the League Cup.

The Hoops have received all three of their aggressive matches, scoring ten targets, to date this season beneath Martin O’Neill, as they give the impression of being to place final season’s struggles behind them.

There may be all the time room for enchancment, although, and there’ll nonetheless be work performed between now and the top of the summer time switch window to enhance the energy of the squad.

One space of the pitch that might be strengthened once more earlier than the deadline is the midfield, with a long-term successor to Callum McGregor a possible possibility.

Why Celtic want a alternative for Callum McGregor

The Hoops skipper turns 34 on the finish of this season and there’s solely so lengthy that he’ll be capable of be relied upon to start out just about each recreation in all competitions, after he began once more in opposition to Dundee United.

McGregor began 36 occasions within the Scottish Premiership, ten occasions within the Europa League, 4 occasions within the SFA Cup, and 4 occasions within the League Cup within the 2025/26 marketing campaign.

He racked up over 5,000 minutes performed in all competitions, greater than another participant within the squad, and the Hoops want to start out excited about what life will appear like after the left-footed star begins to decelerate.

McGregor has had a robust begin to the present Premiership marketing campaign, finishing 94% of his tried passes, however that’s the reason it’s now the right time to exchange him.

As an alternative of ready for the midfielder to regress earlier than signing a long-term successor, Celtic ought to signal his alternative within the present window and ease the transition over the approaching months and seasons.

How Celtic may change Callum McGregor

While Mika Baur has been introduced in from Paderborn to supply an attacking risk from the center of the park, the membership at the moment are a participant who may function within the quantity six place.

In line with the Each day Document, Celtic are inquisitive about a deal to signal Hajduk Cut up defensive midfielder Niko Sigur earlier than the top of the summer time switch window.

The report claims that the 22-year-old expertise has realized of the membership’s curiosity in him and has made it clear to his staff that he’s very eager on making the transfer to Glasgow earlier than the deadline.

It provides that the Croatian outfit are ready to demand a major seven-figure sum earlier than they’re prepared to money in on the Canada worldwide, and it’s now right down to the Hoops to make them a lovely supply.

Sigur is a flexible participant who’s able to taking part in at right-back or in defensive midfield, which has helped him to hone his expertise each defensively and in possession.

His time as a right-back has cultivated his defensive qualities and his studying of the sport out of possession, serving to him to enhance how he mops up assaults when taking part in as a quantity six.

His defensive statistics compared to McGregor’s at league degree within the 2025/26 marketing campaign recommend that he has the potential to supply considerably extra to the Celtic staff off the ball, which might be significantly helpful in European matches in opposition to higher sides.

As spectacular because the Hoops captain is in possession, the previous Scotland worldwide lacks the mobility and physicality to be efficient in European video games, as he misplaced 52% of his floor duels and 82% of his aerial duels within the Europa League final time period.

Sigur performed 3 times for Canada on the World Cup, together with in a 6-0 win over Qatar, and received 100% of his aerial battles throughout his time on the match, additional illustrating the physicality that he can carry to the staff in the course of the park.

The Canadian star is not only a midfield powerhouse, although, as he additionally accomplished 90% of his tried passes within the HNL final season, together with 86% of his passes within the opposition’s half.

In a dominant Celtic staff, he may enhance that go proportion additional to match McGregor’s 93% from final season, offering a dependable and metronomic presence in entrance of the again 4.

Due to this fact, Sigur has the potential to reach as a giant improve on the captain within the long-term as his successor as a result of he has the technical qualities to dictate home video games, while having the defensive and bodily attributes to be considerably simpler in Europe.