Callum McGregor, born in Glasgow on 14 June 1993 (age 32), is the current Celtic captain and one of the major figures of the club’s modern era. A Scotland international and primarily a central defensive midfielder, he wears number 42 and remains central to the side rather than merely attached to it by reputation.
His early senior development included a productive spell at Notts County, where he scored 12 league goals in 37 appearances in 2013-14. That run mattered. It gave him regular football, a bit of edge, and an attacking return well above what might be expected from a player who would later settle into deeper midfield work.
He joined Celtic from Notts County in July 2014 and quickly made himself hard to ignore, scoring on his first-team debut and featuring in European qualifying during his breakthrough period. An early hat-trick had already hinted at what was there, but his real value became clearer over time: reliability, intelligence, and the capacity to keep doing the job when the game around him changed.
Celtic has overwhelmingly shaped McGregor’s career. Across 12 seasons he has made 382 league appearances and scored 52 league goals, an unusually healthy return for a midfielder whose main work is often done away from the headlines. He has also been part of a long period of domestic success, winning 11 Premiership titles, seven League Cups and five Scottish Cups with the club.
As captain, he has carried the role without much theatre. In 2025-26, he has remained strong and consistent, making 53 appearances in all competitions for Celtic and scoring three goals, including 34 league appearances and two league goals. His current market value is around £2.5m, according to Transfermarkt.
McGregor’s career is, in plain terms, a Celtic career: Glasgow-born, long-serving, decorated, and still active at the heart of the team. He has moved from early promise to senior authority without needing much noise around him, which is probably part of the point.
