Celtic have reportedly identified Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj as an ‘ideal successor’ to captain Callum McGregor.
Aside from a season-long loan spell at Notts County back in 2013-14, McGregor has spent his entire career at Celtic and has made a total of 509 first-team appearances across all competitions, scoring 73 goals and providing 79 assists.
The Scotland international is Celtic’s third-most decorated player in the club’s history having won 23 trophies, including nine Scottish Premiership titles – soon to become 10 as the Hoops sit 13 points clear at the top of the table.
McGregor, who is under contract at Celtic Park until June 2028, remains an integral first-team figure under Brendan Rodgers and has started 44 of his 45 appearances across all tournaments this term.
However, with McGregor turning 32 in June, it is understood that Celtic are on the lookout for possible long-term successors to their star captain.
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Celtic identify Rexhbecaj as McGregor successor
According to Football Insider, Celtic could step up their interest in Rexhbecaj this summer as they see the Augsburg midfielder as a player who would improve their engine room.
The 27-year-old Kosovo international has previously suggested that he has no plans to leave the Bundesliga club any time soon, telling the Daily Record: “I am very happy at Augsburg, and the move has paid off in every way.
“I have been a part of the team whenever I have been fit, and I do everything I can to contribute. From a personal point of view, I have remained true to myself and continue to grow.
“This is helped by the fact that I feel at home here; I have the feeling that I am here for the long term. We are definitely having a very good period and have created some distance between ourselves and the bottom of the table.
“However, we have to keep our feet on the ground; things can change at any moment in the Bundesliga, so we cannot allow ourselves to lose focus. We have to stay focused and not get hung up on the table, but take each game as it comes and continue to build on what we have done.
“I want to continue to do everything I can to help us achieve success and continue to progress as a team.”
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Celtic-linked Rexhbecaj facing uncertain future at Augsburg?
However, Rexhbecaj is due to see his current contract at Augsburg expire in June 2026 and it is claimed that the midfielder could be available for a bargain fee between £3m and £3.5m if Augsburg decide to cash in this summer.
Rexhbecaj joined Augsburg in July 2022 from Wolfsburg and has since made a total of 84 senior appearances for the German club, including 21 Bundesliga outings so far this season.
Primarily a defensive midfielder, Rexhbecaj has chipped in with two goals and one assist for an Augsburg side who currently sit eighth in the Bundesliga table, just six points behind the Champions League positions with eight games remaining.
Rexhbecaj is not the only midfielder believed to be on Celtic’s radar, as Africa Foot claims that the Hoops have made a €2m offer to secure the services of 26-year-old Kalidou Sidibe, who plies his trade with Ligue 2 outfit Guingamp.
