Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes midfielder Callum McGregor is like Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm, reports the Daily Star. The 24-year-old has risen through the ranks to the Celtic first-team, making 159 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops.
McGregor has impressed this season too, contributing 10 goals in 31 Scottish Premiership games and has impressed in a variety of roles. He’s a natural attacking-midfielder but has also operated at full-back and on the wing. Rodgers says the Scotland international’s versatility reminds him of Lahm.
“We were talking the other day and you talk about Philipp Lahm, who was obviously a great player for Bayern Munich, who could play in full-back positions, could play in midfield.
“Callum is that version for me. Wherever he plays he is minimum seven out of 10 and he has this incredible ability to understand the game. He is a player of real intelligence, he knows the whole pitch and that is always the mark of the really gifted players.
“He knows the game at full-back. If I play him as number 10 or eight, or wide, he is a joy to work with and to see him grow and develop and produce in the big games is great to see and there is still a lot more to come from him.”
Lahm is a retired Bayern legend who made over 500 appearances in all competitions. The 34-year-old played fullback for the majority of his career but impressed in midfield under Pep Guardiola between 20013 and 2016. He could operate as a makeshift anchor in front of the back four and was described by Pep as one of the most intelligent players in Europe.
Rodgers’ comments on McGregor is high praise. The midfielder has won three league titles, one Scottish Cup and one League Cup during his time in the Celtic first-team and is likely to start when the Hoops lock horns with Hibernian this weekend – a game that could see Brendan Rodgers’ men seal consecutive crowns if they come out on top.