Celtic starting XI next season if recent transfer rumours are true including McGregor's replacement & Liverpool star

Celtic Park could look markedly different when the new Scottish Premiership campaign kicks off, with the club reportedly exploring a series of summer moves designed to refresh the spine of Brendan Rodgers’ side. While the manager has yet to confirm any incoming deals, whispers swirling around the Celtic support suggest a shake-up in midfield is high on the agenda, headlined by the search for a long-term successor to captain Callum McGregor.

Sources close to the club indicate that recruitment staff have compiled a shortlist of targets capable of filling McGregor’s deep-lying playmaker role, allowing the Scotland international to adopt a more advanced or rotational position as he enters the veteran stage of his career. The identity of the preferred candidate remains under wraps, but negotiations are believed to be at an early stage and could accelerate once the window officially opens.

Adding further intrigue, Celtic have been tentatively linked with a swoop for a Liverpool star whose game time at Anfield is expected to be limited next season. If the Merseyside club sanction an exit, the Parkhead hierarchy view the player as a statement signing who would raise the ceiling of the squad both domestically and in European competition.

With the Champions League group-stage format expanding to 36 teams, Celtic are acutely aware that squad depth and top-tier quality will be essential to avoid early elimination. Rodgers, who returned for a second spell in the dugout last season, is said to be pushing for at least three first-team ready additions: a commanding centre-half, a dynamic midfielder, and a proven goalscorer to ease the burden on Kyogo Furuhashi.

Should the mooted deals cross the line, Celtic’s probable XI could feature a blend of household names and fresh faces, all tasked with reclaiming the league title and making a meaningful impact on Europe’s biggest stage. Fans will watch every twist of the rumour mill over the coming weeks, knowing that the right acquisitions could define the club’s trajectory for years to come.