Greg Taylor

Greg Taylor's priority is to stay at Celtic – despite the club’s pursuit of former hero Kieran Tierney.

Hoops left-back Taylor is out of contract at Parkhead this summer and has so far failed to agree a new deal. Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, managed by Italian legend Fabio Cannavaro, are desperate to land Taylor and have already made him an offer. Several other English and European clubs are also keen to tie the 27-year-old down on a pre-contract.



But MailSport understands that Taylor wants to stay at Celtic – at least until the end of this campaign – as he targets another domestic Treble with Brendan Rodgers’ side. He’s happy and has no desire to leave after clinching 10 major trophies in five years since arriving from Kilmarnock in 2019.

 

Makes sense for him to stay until the end of the season. Given the offers are pre-contract not sure what the alternative would be?

 

The Zagreb talk was for this window. I’m unsure if any bid likely for this window we’d accept though, it wouldn’t be much, and keeping him till contract expires and keep him here until that for squad depth, for the upcoming CL games that Tierney can’t be registered for if that happens, and for a reliable option if Tierney gets injured.


Keeping him just incase would be a better option than accepting the £500k or something that is a highball offer probably.


Reports tonight of wanting to stay fully focused on us is unexpected development though, begs the question of why the * if he wants to stay, we want him to stay, why has he got 6 months left on a contract. And the few snippets we’ve heard around his contract status has been no talks being held. Years gone by that is something I’d absolutely expect from us, Taylor being one of those guys we’d expect to jump on any offer but it’s been far from how we’ve operated since Nicholson has been CEO, and really far away from it since Rodgers came back. We’ve been excellent with making sure any player we want here or we think has transfer value has several years on their deals. Start of last season we done amazingly well at it, think it was CCV, McGregor, O’Riley (I’m suddenly unsure of him when I typed his name as one, but I think we did), Kyogo and most surprisingly we got Hatate to sign a new one as well. We’ve been very proactive about that. Taylor being a bosman signing in summer and can talk to clubs, both parties wanting a deal with no talks? There’s more to that story we will never find out I imagine

 

Taylor wants to stay either because:
- he still thinks there's a possibility he becomes one of our highest paid players - that's what he's been asking for, or
- he has time to get more options from other clubs now he's actually on the market

Zagreb being interested is fine but one clubs interest is hardly what you want in what you hope is a bidding war. Taking your time over it, particularly if Celtic have already made an offer to fall back too, makes a lot of sense for him.

 

Where has the one of the highest paid players thing came from? I rate him and acknowledge his importance to us more and most, and acknowledge the overlooked fact he’s a massive leader in the dressing room as well.

But even with me saying that, he doesn’t deserve and shouldn’t even have the cheek to ask for wages for guys like Calmac, Kyogo, CCV etc. the only guy who’s probably up there pay wise he can look at saying I’m doing more than him, but should still say that’s a * far more talent and potential fee if he’s sold to boot is Hatate. And that’s something liable to change game to game because he can be our standout guy at any point as well.


January he’s unlikely to get many offers, as a free agent in the summer? He’ll have a multitude of them, that come with a larger sign on fee having no transfer fee involved at that.

Looking for higher wages now with what he’s done in his time here and how much trust two top class managers in Ange and BR has/had in him, that’s fair and he should definitely, he’ll be one of the lower paid guys still I imagine.

But up there with the top earners in the team, nah * that, I’d lose a lot of respect for him jf that’s factual.

 

Heard it from several people, but might be *. He's obviously wanting more so don't see it being far off the mark personally as thought he was already on £20 - £25k?

He's pretty much played every game the last 2 seasons without backup which is also pretty unique in the team. CCV is an interesting one as given his absences I wouldn't bracket him with those other names you mentioned.

What do you think he's deserving of? Regardless I definitely think he's off.

 

£20k I think is reasonable, the contract extensions last year took up our higher earners to more the touching £40k sorta mark or so was said at the time. £39k for Calmac was the talk us not going for £40k and higher. Captain being the highest paid at us since about 2012 when Brown negotiated it, and Calmac carried that on, or so rumoured we don’t know * all and go on whispers needs to be pointed out as well.

I can definitely see him and having a fair argument for it, being one of the higher paid players in the tier of guys below that. Not the top earners, who also get higher wages because they’re worth a lot of money to us transfer fee wise.

But if he wants up there with Kyogo, Calmac and CCV? I can’t see him being a guy with that * audicity. He’d surely no that’s just not a thing that he’ll ever get? Or deserves, as much as I stick up for him being important and a big part of success for us, it’s with the caveat of ‘for Greg Taylor’, not like a Matt O’Riley last year or Kyogo previous season. Certainly not Calmac or CCV

 

As I said mate, might just be *. But if he's already on £20 - 25k and has virtually (until Valle) been the only one in his position for 2+years going up the scale isn't ridiculous to me.

Personally, we've mismanaged that position terribly for 4+ years and I can actually see why Taylor might think it's not unreasonable given his contribution, particularly if he's not desperate to stay. He's literally saved us millions covering up for our transfer * ups, playing injured etc, plenty wouldn't have bothered.

 

He’s still on his original contract is he not? Signed year before Ange took over 5 year deal I think? £20k and above is absolutely never going to be his wage if so, * if it is his first deal and I’ve forgot an extension or that, he’ll be lucky to crack £10k. He’ll be more on whatever Luke McCowan is on.

 

Contract extension he got in November 2021, early on Ange season. Before he’d been available a lot as well and not picked up a lot of form. He’ll be one of the lowest paid certainly first XI. Infact normal first XI you’d expect to start week in and out, I’d be astonished if he wasn’t the lowest by a good margin. Probably just cracks £10k.

 

Google says £15k. So fair bit under what I claimed.

So likely looking for £20 - 25k then I'd guess.

Doesn't appear we want to pay that.

 

Just double checking that Google it said right after he’s 25 years old as well even £15k is a high estimate I think. Still though, £15k as well, is probably a higher paid tier squad player not first team sort of wage. But again, pure guesswork from rumours and snippets from ex-players/managers about wage structure isn’t it?

£25k I’d say bye, £20k I’d say earned it.

but the thing I’m sure about that contradicts reports is that there’s not been any talk between us and his representatives about a new deal.

infact the quick turnaround in reporting that he’s focused on us and wants to be nowhere else seems like he’s hedged his bets us not having another permanent player in his position to see if he has more negotiating power. And one thing about our board as much as they annoy me, they don’t budge from * like that.

 

I reckon if he can get a decent move and money he's away. Why not?

Definitely hedging his bets, again why not?

Really think he's been a brilliant player for us for what we paid regardless of his shortcomings.

 

Aye wasn’t a criticism of him there, I generally think every player should use everything they can to get money off the business they work for. Rather see it going to them bringing the success on the pitch than bonuses for Honorary Directors and *. Football is one of the few industries the guys doing the work can demand money for profit they earn and being a key part of success. Don’t mind that at all.

And assessing your options is a no brainer for me as well, really I’m always surprised when we manage to tie guys down when they’re close to being able to do that. Because sign on fees for players not attached to a club are significantly larger than guys they’ve had to pay for.

If I was a professional footballer, outwith if it was Celtic because if I was that good I’d be on good money and care more for the success, but any other club I’d be screaming for 2 year deal at most until am old and crocked then would scream for 5 years to protect my earnings when I’m passed it. Guys get called greedy, I’m astonished they aren’t so much greedier.

I will always remember Stan Petrov agreeing a new deal, under the promise we’d sell him, and that was him wanting us to get a fee to repay what the club done for him - £7m we got. On a bosman they’ve saved that money, and he could get £1m/£2m signing for them for him, because that’s a * cheap deal for them anyway. And that was years ago. So much more money involved now

Edit: massive tangent that, on topic aye Greg Taylor has been brilliant for us and it’s not given the plaudits, and he’d deserve £20k odd no question.

 

Aye, Petrov despite going was about as selfless as they come in that situation. What a player too.

 

Can remember being annoyed how downtrodden and huffy he looked when we were celebrating winning the league, thinking aw Stan never expected that from you disappointed. Then he signed a deal purely so we could get a fee for him, saying he wanted to pay the club back for what we’d been for him, felt guilty as * about thinking that a few weeks earlier


* love the guy.

 

Was the same mate. Always make me laugh when people complain about Hatate or similar not looking happy.

We are all different, when it comes to these things. Petrov was probably just thinking I'll be in Birmingham soon and not here!! Enough to depress anyone.

 

Funny thing with Hatate and that being said with him is he’s never looked happy on the pitch even at his best, he’s a wee moany guy and it goes unnoticed, thankfully really because he does a wee snide tackle sometimes and never gets booked for it and everytime a commentator labels it out of character

always had a laugh when in the Covid year everybody said look at Eddys body language and facial expressions, clearly doesn’t care. When his full time here he had the languid style, didn’t even celebrate goals most of the time. But was calm, collected, unflappable instead.


Same season Christie was selfish and out for glory, always shooting from anywhere, then the next season Calmac said in an interview manager’s instructions was shoot in site Christie

Sometimes fans can be perceptive and knowledgeable, often though we are full of *

 

Wee Greg throwing a huff because his replacements name is being chanted is very tinpot

Counting down the days till his contracts up.

 

Greg Taylor, he's been absolutely amazing at this club. How does he feel?

“He nearly breaks his nose [today], bleeding for the club, for a cause. It's not very respectful. You sing for another player, no matter what Kieran’s history is. I don't like that.

“There's lots of speculation, lots of names, but I wouldn't add anything to it.”



When pressed on whether the club are any closer to agreeing an extension to Taylor’s own deal, which also expires at the end of the season, Rodgers said: “Hopefully. It's been an ongoing issue, so I'm not exactly sure where it's at at the moment.

“But what I know is that a young player who's given so much to this club over a number of years, consistently. His ability, what he's done for the club. So, that needs to be explored.

“He might decide to go elsewhere. But at this moment in time, he's here, he's very much a Celtic player, and we want to support that. Hopefully we can get to some agreement to let him stay.

“I can only vouch for where I've come in here. I've had a look at his numbers before, and then his performance level, consistency, availability. And then from my time here, he's been absolutely great.


"I hear the stuff around, oh, maybe [he's not cut out for the] Champions League. But I've had hundreds of Celtic players that haven't been good enough in Champions League.

“What I know is this is a man who gives everything for this club. Hopefully we can keep him here because we're trying to build a strong squad.

“I put myself in his shoes when he’s playing left-back in the game. Especially when you're doing so much for the club and have given so much for the club.

“I'm not sure [if he’s conscious of it], I haven't spoken to him, but I don't think he can miss it. I don't think he can miss it being on the pitch. But what I know is every single day of his life it's up to him. He's there for the team, he stands up and be counted. The next mistake, he goes again


Like I said, his availability, his consistency over a long period of time has been absolutely brilliant. I've said it before, I commend him. I get a greater appreciation even now, walking with him, closely. I'm really hopeful that we'll keep him