Marc Guehi talks about Liverpool transfer rumours (Credits: Imago Images)
Celtic captain Callum McGregor has opened up about his preparations for the new season amid growing speculation linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia.
Manager Brendan Rodgers is reportedly keen to bring McGregor to Al-Qadsiah as part of a major squad overhaul at the Saudi Pro League club.
McGregor still has two years remaining on his Celtic contract, but a recent change of agents has fuelled intense speculation about his future.
The 33-year-old is now represented by Unique Sports Group, the same agency that represents Rodgers, sending the rumour mill into overdrive.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has admitted he cannot guarantee the captain will remain at Parkhead as he prepares for showdown talks over his future.
The speculation comes just months after McGregor warned club chiefs he could quit Celtic unless they matched his ambitions.
Despite the swirling transfer talk, McGregor appears firmly focused on pre-season preparations in Lisbon, where he is pushing standards within the group.
He said: “Yeah, basically, can we be the best version of Celtic we can be? I think that’s always the start point, obviously, there’ll be challenges for the season, hopefully, not as many as what we had last season.”
McGregor emphasised how pre-season physical and mental demands prepare players for the difficult moments they will inevitably face throughout a long campaign.
He added: “So a lot of the work that you do in preseason, when you’re tired, when the sessions are long, it’s finding that, something mental’s trying to get through it, and that’s what will carry us through difficult moments throughout the season.”
The Celtic skipper outlined the team’s core objectives, saying they were targeting fast attacking football, scoring heavily, strong counter-pressing, and conceding as few goals as possible.
When pressed on whether he was “motivated” to defend the Scottish Premiership title, McGregor offered a carefully worded response, insisting winning was simply the job of every Celtic player.
He told the Celtic Player: “I think that’s the job of a Celtic player, is that we don’t get tired of winning, because we’ve set ourself an unbelievable standard over the last 14, 15 years.”
McGregor acknowledged that defending a title demands even greater effort than winning it in the first place, placing enormous responsibility on the squad’s most experienced players.
He said: “It’s hard as it was last season. To win them, you then have to work even harder to defend it. So, the players and the core group that have been there for a long time, they understand that.”
Reports from the Middle East indicate that Rodgers is currently vetting his squad at Al-Qadsiah as he weighs up his foreign player options ahead of the summer transfer window.
Saudi Pro League clubs are permitted up to 10 foreign players in their 25-man squads, and Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Rodgers is keen to free up two spots for high-profile incoming signings.
The Irishman is also said to be considering players who will feature exclusively in the Asian Champions League, King’s Cup, and Saudi Super Cup next season.
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