CALLUM McGREGOR could join the summer exodus through the Celtic exit in the summer.
The Hoops vice-captain, who was ordered off in the 26th minute of the team’s 4-1 flop at Ibrox yesterday, could be tempted to quit along with the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Scotland international team-mate Ryan Christie.
Skipper Scott Brown has already agreed a two-year pre-contract at Aberdeen and loan stars Mohamed Elyounoussi (Southampton), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Diego Laxalt (AC Milan) and Shane Duffy (Brighton) are poised to rejoin their parent clubs.
Plus Leigh Griffiths is sweating on the club’s decision on whether or not they will activate the 12-month option on his deal which expires at the end of this month.
McGregor is seen as pivotal in the gigantic squad rebuild, but former Hoops fans’ favourite Stiliyan Petrov has warned e could be tempted to leave.
The ex-Bulgarian international playmaker said: “Callum’s a player I admire a lot, the way he plays, his awareness, his football brain.
“I could compare it with my own situation.
“Sometimes it’s not about the club. People talk about the club and I loved the club, I still love it.
“But when you start looking at the players who leave the club, the players they bring in, I had to really sit down and consider what I wanted to do next.”
Petrov, speaking to the Scottish Sun, added: “I moved from a very successful team.
“Then I saw a change, then another change – and I realised it was time for me to step up and challenge myself somewhere else because I didn’t see the same quality as I’d known before.
“Maybe it’s time where the question has to be asked, what kind of quality players are Celtic going to bring to keep Callum McGregor?”
Petrov quit the Hoops for a reunion with his former Celtic gaffer Martin O’Neill in a £6.5million switch to Aston Villa in 2006.
McGREGOR OFF AS FATE TAKES OVER
