Opinion – Celtic must absolutely reject £10million bid for this 25-year-old attacking powerhouse

Why Celtic must keep hold of Callum McGregor amidst Brighton interest

Brighton are tracking the progress of Celtic star Callum McGregor as they prepare a £10million January swoop, reports the Scottish Sun.

McGregor, 25, has been a key player for Celtic since Brendan Rodgers’ arrival, making over 100 appearances in all competitions across the two full campaigns under the current manager.

The Scotsman has been remarkable for the Hoops and has arguably become a vital cog of the team’s attack over the last 12 months in particular. But McGregor’s impressive performances haven’t gone unnoticed with Brighton interested in securing his services once the transfer window reopens.

There is little doubt that McGregor is one of the most important players in Brendan Rodgers’ squad right now. He scored some crucial goals last season as Celtic completed an unprecedented double treble under Rodgers.

And while the playmaker has not been at his sublime best so far this season, he has started six of the seven league games in 2018/19 which points to the fact that he is an important player for Rodgers.

Celtic endured a big blow when they lost Moussa Dembele to Lyon in the summer. And Dembele’s departure has had a big impact on Celtic as Rodgers’ team has struggled to score and create goals in abundance this campaign. Given the team’s current attacking woes, interest in McGregor — one of Celtic’s consistent performers — should be worrisome for Rodgers.

The £10million price will certainly be tempting for Celtic but Rodgers should simply not sell McGregor. Although the player is yet to score or provide an assist in the league this season, he can certainly turn his form around and help Celtic in the long run.

Rodgers’ Celtic have lacked the cutting edge, with creativity being one of the real problems this season. There are a couple of pacy players who can provide the drive and energy while attacking. However, Rodgers has a handful of creative playmakers who can change the course of a game in the blink of an eye. One of them is McGregor, whose importance can never be questioned.

Playing in the Premier League could be tempting for McGregor but at Celtic, he is likely to be their star man. Along with that, the Scotsman will also get a chance to play in the European competitions every year.

Read more: Here are 3 ideal Moussa Dembele replacements Celtic could sign in January including 43-goal Serbian ace

Even though £10million is a lot of money from Celtic’s point of view, Rodgers must keep hold of McGregor without any second thoughts.