Celtic Plot Summer Move For This Hibernian Midfield Ace: Why He Could Replace McGregor In The Long Run

Celtic are preparing to test Hibernian’s resolve for 21-year-old Zambia international Miguel Chaiwa as part of a planned summer overhaul designed to free up funds for the club’s incoming manager, according to a recent report in The Herald.

Chaiwa, who arrived at Easter Road only last August in an €800,000 switch from Swiss champions BSC Young Boys, has quickly emerged as a key cog in David Gray’s 3-4-1-2 system, racking up 24 appearances across all competitions after returning from January’s Africa Cup of Nations. Operating primarily as a deep-lying playmaker, the Lusaka-born midfielder has showcased the stamina, ball-carrying ability and interception instincts that first caught the eye of scouts at Shamuel Academy and later convinced Young Boys to bring him to Europe.

His path to Scotland was hardly conventional. Spotted by Young Boys while playing for Atletico Lusaka, Chaiwa spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Swiss second-tier side Schaffhausen after finding first-team minutes hard to come by in Bern. Despite being pencilled in for a squad role last summer, the Swiss club ultimately cashed in when Hibernian tabled an offer, allowing the player to seek regular football in the Scottish Premiership.

Hibs moved swiftly to secure his future, tying him to a deal through 2028 with the option of an additional 12 months, but sources close to the Leith outfit concede they would entertain a significant bid that maximises profit on their initial outlay. Celtic, flush with central-midfield options yet conscious of succession planning, appear ready to oblige.

Callum McGregor remains the beating heart of the champions’ engine room, but the Scotland international will turn 33 in June and the Parkhead hierarchy accept they must identify a long-term successor capable of anchoring midfield. Reo Hatate’s form has dipped, Paulo Bernardo has slipped down the pecking order and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s future hinges on whether the club trigger a one-year extension. Arne Engels, the subject of a rejected £25 million approach from Nottingham Forest in January, could yet attract further Premier League attention, while Benjamin Nygren and Luke McCowan are viewed more as advanced operators than genuine holding players.

That vacancy could pave the way for Chaiwa, whose high-energy, box-to-box style is complemented by a 6ft frame that allows him to ride Scottish Premiership challenges and recycle possession efficiently. Analysts inside Celtic have been impressed by his concentration levels and tactical flexibility, traits they believe would ease a transition into the relentless schedule demanded at Parkhead.

Negotiations are yet to reach an advanced stage, yet the groundwork is being laid. With the board promising funds for a squad refresh under a new boss, the champions are expected to intensify their interest over the coming weeks as they weigh up a move that could ultimately hand the baton from McGregor to a player almost 12 years his junior.