‘He’s the heartbeat of this team’ - Celtic captain Callum McGregor signs bumper new five-year contract

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has signed a bumper new five-year contract with the Scottish champions - and will become the club’s highest paid player.

The 30-year-old central midfielder, who joined the club’s youth academy at the age of nine, has agreed a to extend his stay at his boyhood club in a deal that will see him remain at Parkhead until the summer of 2028.

The club stalwart has won 20 trophies including FIVE domestic trebles - more than any other player in world football - during his time as a senior player and has made 420 appearances, scoring 62 goals.

The news comes on the back of Japanese attacking duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda reaching new contract extensions with the club as manager Brendan Rodgers aims to tie down as many key players for the long haul.

McGregor, who made his first-team debut against KR Reykjavík in a UEFA Champions League qualifier in Iceland in July 2014, admits he is looking forward to bringing more silverware to Celtic Park in the seasons ahead.

“It’s amazing to extend my stay at the club,” McGregor told the club’s official website. “As I’ve touched on before, this club means so much to me and the success that we’ve had over the past few seasons has cemented that. I feel like the club’s in a great place to move forward as well, and when they came and asked me to extend my stay I was absolutely delighted.

“Brendan’s a top manager and I had the pleasure of working with him before and seeing what he did with that group of players, especially a young, hungry group similar to ourselves, and the way he progressed us and took us on. His personality around the place gives the building another lift as well, so the club’s in a really strong place.

“We did some great work over the last couple of years but it’s important that we bank that and we continue to move forward because in football you always have to continue your progress and get even better. I’m delighted that the manager’s back, I’m delighted that I’m going to be here long-term as well, so here’s to many more successful years.

“I just want it to continue for as long as possible. I’ve spoken before about the trust that the guys have put in me at this club, and I want to repay that every time I go on the pitch. They’ve been amazing for myself and for my family. It’s given me a wonderful life and some amazing memories.

“Together with the Celtic fans what we’ve achieved are memories that will stay with me forever, and there’s only one place that I want to play football and that’s here.”

McGregor continues to move closer to the legendary players at the top of Celtic’s all-time appearance table, but the Scotland international has refused to get carried away.

“I just want to take it one game at a time,” he said. “That’s the way I’ve been my whole career – just to focus on the next game and the next training session and just try to give my best every single day, to progress as a player and as a person, and try to have a positive impact on the club.

“So I’ll just be taking it one game at a time and we’ll see where we get to, but I’m hugely proud of what I’ve achieved at this club so far. They’ve given me an unbelievable platform to be successful and my duty is to give absolutely everything for this club and do everything I can to make it successful.”

Celtic boss, Brendan Rodgers commented: “It’s amazing news for the club, for the supporters and for the players, but as a manager it’s extra special to have someone of that quality captain the team. Callum’s just such an inspirational player and I’m absolutely delighted to working with him again.

“He’s a player that’s undervalued immensely and it’s not really until you work with Callum that you really recognise the real qualities that he has, firstly as a player because that’s the priority, to develop him as a footballer, but also as a person because he’s a great man, and it’s been great to see that development, from the time I was first with him and now coming back four years later and seeing him evolve even more.

“He’s the heartbeat of this team. He’s taken on the responsibility of being captain of a worldwide institution with great effect and we’ll look to continue that development. At 30 years of age he’s still got a lot that he can win and still lots of improvements to make, and I know that he’s hungry to do that.

“What’s most important is that he’s there for the team. He always has been and now, as captain of the club, he’s a real selfless leader and for me to have someone lead the team like that and be my coach on the field, it’s a great privilege to work with him.”