Frank McAvennie has raised the alarming prospect of Callum McGregor leaving Celtic this summer, suggesting the club captain could be heading for Saudi Arabia rather than signing a new deal at Parkhead.
McGregor is the heartbeat of Celtic and has been central to some of the most significant trophy-winning moments of recent years. The idea of losing him in the summer is one most supporters would rather not contemplate, but McAvennie’s warning on his Let Me Be Frank podcast was blunt and difficult to dismiss.
When co-host Simon Houston suggested the club should get at least another season out of their captain, McAvennie was unconvinced. He said he did not think that would be the case, and when pressed directly on whether McGregor would be gone in the summer, he replied that he believed he would. He pointed to Saudi Arabia as the likely destination, with a possible reunion with former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers adding an extra dimension to the speculation.
McAvennie was careful to say he hoped he was completely wrong, and acknowledged that McGregor has earned well throughout his career. But he said he would not blame the player for taking the opportunity, suggesting that two years in Saudi Arabia could deliver more financially than the fifteen years McGregor has already given to Celtic.
Replacing a player of McGregor’s quality and importance would be an enormous challenge for whoever takes permanent charge at Parkhead. Celtic’s recruitment has already come under significant criticism this season, and if their longest-serving captain departs in the summer, the scale of the rebuild required will increase considerably.