Callum McGregor, born in Glasgow on 14 June 1993 (age 32), has become one of the major Celtic figures of the modern era. A Scotland international and Celtic’s current captain, he wears the number 42 and has spent the bulk of his senior life in the middle of the pitch, usually as a central defensive midfielder.
His development was helped by a spell at Notts County, where he scored on debut and then produced the most productive league season of his career: 12 goals in 37 appearances in 2013-14. For a player who would later be trusted with the less glamorous work of controlling games, that return was a fair early warning that he had more in him than tidy recycling.
McGregor returned to Celtic in July 2014 and made an immediate impression, scoring on his first-team debut and featuring in European qualifying ties during his breakthrough period. An early hat-trick had already hinted at his promise, and a long-term contract followed while he was still establishing himself properly in the senior side.
Since then, Celtic has been the centre of his career in every meaningful sense. Across 12 seasons he has made 385 league appearances and scored 52 league goals, an unusually high return for a player so often stationed in deeper areas. His game has never depended on fuss. He reads danger, keeps the ball moving, and sets the tempo without needing to advertise the fact.
The captaincy suited him because it did not require reinvention. McGregor’s authority has come from reliability, intelligence and sheer accumulation of important matches, rather than volume. In 2025-26 he has remained central to the side, making 56 appearances in all competitions and scoring three goals, including 37 league appearances and two league goals.
His current market value is around £2.5m, according to Transfermarkt. That is not the measure that matters most with McGregor. He is a Glasgow-born Celtic captain whose career has been shaped, tested and largely defined at the club, and he remains part of the side rather than a figure being admired from a distance.
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