Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has personally identified an “aggressive” midfielder as the ideal successor to Callum McGregor, and he could be available for just £3m – £3.5m in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
McGregor still key player for the Hoops
McGregor remains an important player for Rodgers, with the club captain enjoying yet another excellent season in the Scottish Premiership, picking up eight goals and two assists, having made 45 appearances in all competitions.
As such, the Glasgow-born midfielder is clearly still a big part of Rodgers’ plans, but given that he is set to turn 32 in a couple of months’ time, it could be time to start thinking about long-term replacements, who could join in the summer transfer window.
£780k-per-year Celtic player who Rodgers loves now set to leave Parkhead
Brendan Rodgers wants him to stay at Celtic, but may now be forced to let him move on.
1 BySean Markus CliffordMar 31, 2025
Last week, it was revealed that contact has been made over a deal for FC Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj, who is also attracting attention from Besiktas and Parma, and there has now been another update on the Scottish side’s interest.
According to a report from Football Insider, Rodgers is personally driving the move for Rexhbecaj, having identified the midfielder as an ideal successor to McGregor, with the manager viewing midfield as a priority position to strengthen this summer.
The central midfielder could be available on the cheap, too, with Augsburg likely to sanction his departure for the relatively low fee of around £3m – £3.5m, however, the deal may not be as easy as it initially seems.
The 27-year-old has made it clear he is happy at Augsburg, which indicates he may not be interested in a move to Parkhead, but the decision could be taken out of his hands if the German side choose to cash in.
Celtic’s upcoming fixtures
Date
St. Johnstone (a)
April 6th
Kilmarnock (h)
April 12th
St. Johnstone
April 20th
"Aggressive" Rexhbecaj impressing in Germany
Augsburg sporting director Stefan Reuter praised the Kosovan for his “aggressive and passionate style of play” upon his arrival in Germany, and he has since gone on to establish himself as a key player for the Bundesliga side.
The Prizren-born maestro has made 25 appearances in all competitions this season, earning himself a call-up to his national side, and he was on the scoresheet for Kosovo in their recent 2-1 victory against Iceland.
That said, the Kosovo international will need to improve his goal return if he is to replace McGregor on a long-term basis, given that he has scored just one goal for Augsburg in the Bundesliga this season, while also scoring just twice last term.
Regardless, at just £3m Rexhbecaj would be a low-risk addition to the Celtic squad this summer, so it is promising news that Rodgers has identified him as a target.