Adding fuel to the fire from the summer, a former Celtic star has claimed he is dreaming of the Premier League player completing a move to the Bhoys.
Latest updates on Brendan Rodgers’ future at Celtic
There have been a lot of changes to our Old Firm rivals recently, but Celtic could yet undergo a change of their own.
The Hoops have had a disappointing start to the season and are now two points behind unexpected leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership table. However, their form in Europe hasn’t been that great, with them failing to win either of their opening two games in the Europa League.
So questions are being asked about Brendan Rodgers’ future. The manager has less than a year left on his current contract and has not yet put pen to paper on a new deal. If nothing changes, he won’t be in the Celtic dugout this time next year.
A recent meeting was also held between the club and fan groups, with Celtic chairman Michael Nicholson claiming that Rodgers had sanctioned all signings from the summer onwards that had not yet proven successful.
Negotiations with Rodgers over his future are reportedly ongoing and there is still a chance he will stay, but there is certainly some uncertainty creeping in at Celtic.
Moreover, if it is the manager in charge of sanctioning transfers, the former Celtic man’s verdict on the current Premier League star should set Rodgers’ ears ringing as he heads into 2026.
Mulgrew claims McGinn dreams of moving to Celtic
John McGinn still dreams of a move to Celtic after a move from Aston Villa failed to materialize in the summer, according to former defender Charlie Mulgrew.
Mulgrew told talkSPORT:
“Listen, John McGinn would have wanted to go to Celtic. I know John McGinn personally and his whole family are Celtic fans, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen.
“I think[signing for Celtic]is definitely on his mind. When you grow up in Glasgow, the only teams you see are Celtic and Rangers – and for you, that’s the pinnacle of football.
“I picture myself growing up on the streets of Glasgow and I picture myself scoring goals for Rangers. That was my dream. That was the pinnacle of football for me.”
“Because that’s all I’ve seen. I know there’s bigger games to come, but to finally score against Rangers and feel it, I know John McGinn will be desperate to do it. I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”
The Scotland international would certainly get Celtic’s transfer history back on track and move on from their recent setbacks, but as Mulgrew said, it remains to be seen whether the Bhoys can secure his contract.
McGinn currently earns around £120,000-a-week at Villa Park, so he would need to take a significant pay cut to secure a return to the North.
However, his contract expires in 2027, so perhaps the Villa captain could consider a move to Glasgow once his stay at Birmingham ends within two years, unless he signs an extension.
McGinn’s contract will almost certainly be out of Celtic’s reach at that point.