Brendan Rodgers has revealed his ambitions to challenge for the Saudi Pro League title with Al-Qadsiah amid growing speculation linking Celtic skipper Callum McGregor with a move to the Middle East.
The Celtic captain has already been urged to reject any approach from Saudi Arabia by a host of prominent club legends who want him to remain in Glasgow’s East End.
Reports suggest Rodgers is keen for Al-Qadsiah to launch an ambitious and well-funded bid to bring McGregor to Saudi Arabia this summer transfer window.
It would be the second time Rodgers has attempted to lure the 32-year-old away from Celtic, having previously tried to sign him for Leicester City back in 2019.
Celtic are expected to resist any approach strongly, with McGregor still having two years remaining on his current contract at Parkhead.
Speculation intensified after McGregor changed agents to be represented by Unique Sports Group, the same agency that represents Rodgers, sending the transfer rumour mill into overdrive.
Former Celtic captain Scott Brown has been vocal in his desire for McGregor to stay, saying: “I think you need to keep Callum McGregor in that team. Keep Callum no matter what.”
Brown added: “Because Callum knows the club, knows what it’s all about. He’s won so many trophies over the years and he’s missed the reliable. And I think that’s a big thing.”
Celtic legend Johan Mjallby has also weighed in, insisting the club cannot afford to lose their influential skipper this summer under any circumstances.
Mjallby said: “Callum McGregor is a brilliant captain and leads by example. Kieran Tierney is also a top player and a leader.”
He continued: “You add in James Forrest and you have a hard core of guys who know what it’s about and know when to deliver and how to deliver.”
Former Parkhead icon Paul Lambert acknowledged that while no player is truly irreplaceable, Celtic currently lack a natural successor ready to step into McGregor’s role.
Lambert warned: “Nobody’s irreplaceable. There’s no natural successor to Callum at the club. There needs to be a long-term plan, unless they have somebody coming through the academy.”
Speaking from Al-Qadsiah’s pre-season training camp in Girona, Rodgers made clear his intentions to build a title-challenging squad in the Saudi Pro League next season.
After finishing fourth last term, Rodgers said: “We have established a very good base over the last six months. Now we come here to prepare the team to take the next step.”
He added: “Obviously, next year we have four opportunities to win a cup, and we would very much like to be able to achieve that.”
Rodgers also outlined his desire to reinforce his footballing philosophy with both new arrivals and returning players throughout this pre-season period in Spain.
He said: “We will also reintroduce our style of play and our way of working; we have some new players coming in, and they have some loaned players coming back.”
Whether McGregor ultimately commits his future to Celtic or follows Rodgers to Saudi Arabia remains one of the most compelling transfer stories of the summer.
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