Scottish champions Celtic have received a timely boost following an update on the fitness of captain, Callum McGregor.
What’s the word?
As per Daily Record, the Scotland international has revealed that he is in line to make his return to training during the Old Firm outfit’s stint in Australia, with the Hoops set to take part in the Sydney Super Cup.
The 29-year-old stated: “Hopefully I will be joining bits of the sessions this week and just progressing the rehab. It will be an important five, six days for me as well. I am looking forward to getting back on the grass with the boys.”
The long-serving midfielder has been absent since sustaining a knee injury in the Champions League defeat away to RB Leipzig in early October, although the expectation is that the 49-cap gem should be fit to return after the World Cup break.
Huge boost
News of the playmaker returning to the training pitch will seemingly be a huge boost as far as manager Ange Postecoglou is concerned, with the former Yokohama boss likely to be keen to bring his reliable skipper back into the fold.
While the Parkhead giants have no doubt performed well in McGregor’s absence – continuing their march towards the title to move nine points ahead of bitter rivals Rangers at the summit – it has arguably been far from ideal to have been without the academy graduate in recent weeks.
As Postecoglou previously stated, the £32k-per-week machine is a figure that the club simply “can’t replace” such is his wealth of experience and leadership qualities, with the Glasgow-born sensation one of the more senior figures in a squad that is largely made of up relatively recent additions.
Compatriot Barry Ferguson has also recently echoed that sentiment, stating:
“In terms of Callum McGregor I think he is irreplaceable. He’s so important to Celtic on the pitch, off the pitch he’s a massive influence.
“He’s their most important player without a doubt. He’s grown into the position and grown into being a real leader at Celtic, obviously taking over the captaincy.”
There are reports that the Scottish Premiership outfit are targetting a new midfield recruit in the New Year to help bolster Postecoglou’s options in the centre of the park, although it could seemingly be just as important to get McGregor back in the thick of things.
A figure who has enjoyed notable success over the years at Paradise – winning a plethora of major honours and providing 126 goal involvements in 389 games across all fronts – Celtic are no doubt in need of such an experienced head to help guide the emerging talents of Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate.
That latter duo had been forced to produce an “enormous shift” in recent games due to the loss of their “influential” captain – in the words of Postecoglou – with it seemingly unsustainable to once again have to rely on that pair when club action resumes at the end of next month.
As such, it is simply a huge boost to see McGregor edging ever closer to a return, both for the player, as well as his teammates and manager.
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