Celtic star Liam Scales has tipped a club legend to remain in Glasgow despite transfer speculation.
Scales played a pivotal role at Hampden on Saturday, with the defender making a goal-line clearance as the Hoops went on to win the Scottish Cup thanks to a 3-1 win over Dunfermline.
With the game goalless, the Irishman rushed back to spare the blushes of teammates Alistair Johnston and Viljami Sinisalo, who had a mix-up that nearly led to Neil Lennon’s side taking the lead.
The win secured a league and cup double for Martin O’Neill’s men, as they ended the campaign with nine wins on the bounce.
It was a turbulent campaign, with the Celts looking down and out in April, only to become double champions in May.
And Scales, who recently signed a contract extension until 2030, was quick to praise captain Callum McGregor for his role in dragging his teammates over the line.
McGregor has been subject to transfer speculation, with a potential reunion with Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers is currently the manager of Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia, and McGregor has been tipped to join up with the former Celtic manager.
Scales, however, believes McGregor should stay and lead Celtic through another campaign.
The 27-year-old said (RecordSport):
“He’s incredible, I love playing with him and I want that to last for as long as it can. He’s already been through transitions and showed, you know, with different managers and different styles that he can fit into anything and help us in transitions.
“I think the year I signed here, it was a bit of a transition – Ange’s first year as manager – I didn’t play a massive part, but I could see from then how big a role he played and how important he was to that transition.
“So if it has to happen again, yeah, you want players like Cal. Obviously, Jimmy (Forrest) has been here years, he’s been through the same. You want players like that to be here and to kind of help everyone through that.”
McGregor’s influence clearly stretches beyond the performances on the pitch.
When Scott Brown retired in 2021, McGregor was the natural successor to the armband.
Since then, as captain, he has won five league titles, three Scottish Cups, and three Scottish League Cups.
Ultimately, the day will come when the Hoops are without his influence. If it were to be this summer, then he would leave with the best wishes of all.
But Scales’ words show a player who still holds immense influence in the dressing room.
The club face a significant rebuild this summer. Keeping McGregor would signal continuity, but with the lucrative money which lies in Saudi Arabia, he may be tempted to experience a new challenge.
I would be shocked if McGregor was to leave Celtic for ANY other club.
But even more than shocked if he left to join up with the scum that is Rodgers and Kennedy.
Simply put, McGregor is a man with integrity. Neither of the other two can say the same about themselves!