Martin O’Neill has played down any concern over Callum McGregor’s Celtic future, insisting the captain is happy at the club and clear on where he stands.
But speaking on CelticPlayer, O’Neill said he does not believe the midfielder is the type to make demands of that nature.
He said: “I’ve said this before about clubs matching players’ ambitions.
“I said this to Brian Clough a way back, ‘Did the club match my ambitions?’ And he left me out for four months.
“So I don’t think that Callum would ever have said that, to tell you the truth. And if he did, I would have found it a bit strange. He’s not that type of lad.”
O’Neill instead believes McGregor simply wanted clarity over his own position at Celtic.
He added: “I think he wanted to know where the club stood with him as much as anything else. And I think that’s been well and truly cleared up.”
That is the clearest indication yet that there is no issue between McGregor and the club as Celtic continue to reshape the squad.
O’Neill said: “He was super, super for us last season. Really, really super.
“He really knows the club inside out and I think that’s really important.”
The Celtic boss compared McGregor’s influence to senior players from his first spell in charge, highlighting how important experienced figures can be when new signings arrive.
He added: “So Callum has that same sort of influence. And it’s really, really positive.”
O’Neill then made his position on McGregor’s future clear.
He said: “Really, no, he’s really happy.”
With Celtic continuing to bring in new players and more business still expected before the transfer window closes, McGregor remains central to the squad both on and off the pitch.
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