Celtic has reportedly pinpointed Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj as the ‘ideal successor’ to captain Callum McGregor. Other than a season-long loan at Notts County during the 2013-14 season, McGregor has dedicated his entire career to Celtic, making a total of 509 first-team appearances across all competitions, where he scored 73 goals and provided 79 assists.
The Scotland international ranks as Celtic’s third-most decorated player in the club’s history, having won 23 trophies, including nine Scottish Premiership titles—soon to be 10, as the Hoops currently hold a 13-point lead at the top of the table.
McGregor, who has a contract with Celtic Park that runs until June 2028, continues to be a key first-team player under Brendan Rodgers, starting 44 of his 45 appearances in all competitions this season. However, as McGregor approaches his 32nd birthday in June, Celtic is reportedly exploring potential long-term successors to their star captain.
Celtic identify Rexhbecaj as McGregor successor
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.”
Rexhbecaj, who is linked with Celtic, faces an uncertain future at Augsburg. His current contract with the club is set to expire in June 2026, and reports suggest that he could be available for a relatively low fee of between £3 million and £3.5 million if Augsburg opts to sell him this summer.
Having joined Augsburg in July 2022 from Wolfsburg, Rexhbecaj has made 84 appearances for the German club, including 21 matches in the Bundesliga this season.
Primarily playing as a defensive midfielder, he has contributed two goals and one assist for an Augsburg team currently sitting eighth in the Bundesliga, just six points off the Champions League spots with eight games left to play. Rexhbecaj is not the only midfielder on Celtic’s radar; Africa Foot reports that the Hoops have made a €2 million offer to acquire 26-year-old Kalidou Sidibe, who plays for Ligue 2 club Guingamp.
