Celtic struck gold on “unreal” free signing who’s now worth more than Maeda

It may not have been a wholly smooth ride, yet Brendan Rodgers’ return to Celtic has worked a treat, with the Northern Irishman picking up where Ange Postecoglou left off after leading the Glasgow giants to yet another domestic double.

January arrival Adam Idah proved the man to clinch that latest success after netting in the Old Firm derby at Hampden last weekend, with the on-loan marksman having been the major success story amid a mixed bag of signings for Rodgers – scoring nine goals in just 19 games for the club.

In truth, the former Liverpool boss will be thankful for the core of key players that arrived under his predecessor’s watch, with Matt O’Riley notably stealing the show with 19 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, while Daizen Maeda continued to terrorise defences with 14 goal involvements of his own.

Not even Postecoglou can take credit for the rise of one Hoops sensation, however, with long-serving skipper Callum McGregor having once again been central to all that was good about the champions this season.

Callum McGregor’s season in numbers

Lauded as an “unreal player” by departing teammate, Joe Hart, McGregor has been a mainstay in the midfield at Parkhead for almost a decade, having cost the club nothing after rising up through the youth ranks.

Handed his chance by Ronny Deila at the start of 2014/15 – after netting 14 goals on loan at Notts County the previous season – the Scotsman hasn’t looked back since, racking up 64 goals and 77 assists in 464 games in all competitions.

As for the current campaign, the 30-year-old has again dazzled at the base of the midfield despite contributing just two goals and six assists across all fronts, boasting a stunning pass accuracy of 92% in the Premiership, while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game and making 1.5 tackles per game.

The playmaker was particularly impressive in the final league Old Firm of the campaign, shaking off an injury to dominate in the centre of the park after winning seven duels and providing four key passes, including the assist for O’Riley’s opener.

Time and again the captain steps up when needed on the big occasion, now boasting a ridiculous record of having won 12 out of 12 senior finals that he has played in for the club – alongside his eight title triumphs.

Callum McGregor’s market value

Such a stellar record – both in terms of goal contributions and major honours – have unsurprisingly cemented McGregor’s place as one of the most valuable members of the squad, even despite his age and the fact that he is an academy graduate.

Scott Brown’s successor is said to now be worth in the region of €13.8m (£11.7m), according to Football Transfers, with that notably placing him ahead of the likes of Maeda, who is worth €10.7m (£9.1m), despite his heroics at the top end of the pitch.

Unlike the likes of Maeda and the aforementioned O’Riley – who is attracting notable interest at present – the expectation will be that McGregor remains as the heartbeat of the side for many more years to come.

Of course, there is always excitement surrounding new additions and fresh faces, but gifted stalwarts like the 58-cap Scotland international and resurgent teammate James Forrest – who is now back in the international fold after a three-year absence – are worth their weight in gold.

The question now remains as to who can be the next talents to follow in McGregor and Forrest’s footsteps and emerge from the youth ranks…READ MORE