“It’s clear to anyone that Taylor has big value in a squad,” Chris Sutton

The Celtic Star

·19. April 2025

“It’s clear to anyone that Taylor has big value in a squad,” Chris Sutton

Whilst the contract negotiations with Celtic and Greg Taylor rumble on in the background, Chris Sutton has made clear his feelings that Taylor should be absolutely retained by the Hoops, following his Man of the Match performance against Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon at Celtic Park…

Greg Taylor’s MOTM award as per his post on Instagram.

The Scotland international has given everyone a timely reminder of his qualities in that inverted full-back role and nobody has been able to play that feature in the team anywhere near as well as Greg has these past few years.

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Started under Ange Postecoglou when he took over from Neil Lennon, Taylor’s use on the ball as an extra midfielder has been a crucial element of breaking down those rigid and frugal defences in the Scottish Premiership for several seasons now.

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic celebrates with team mates after scoring to give Celtic a 3-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, Glasgow, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Rodgers uses this same method at times and it’s clear that he rates Taylor very highly, as he’s made abundantly clear his wishes to keep him in the building moving forward. Even with Kieran Tierney coming back home, there’s plenty of football to be shared between the two men and games where differing styles will be required.

“I’d be chaining him to the front door until he signed a contract extension”

Sutton used his Daily Record column to air his views on the Taylor contract situation and revealed his belief that the former Killie man can be an invaluable squad member for Celtic. “One whose future remains in the balance is Greg Taylor, but if I was Celtic, I’d be chaining him to the front door until he signed a contract extension,” he said.

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Reo Hatate of Celtic celebrates with team mates after scoring to give Celtic a 1-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

“Now let’s be clear here. I’m not rewriting history. I had said that Celtic needed an upgrade in the left-back position for the Champions League and I do not shy away from that. I felt, at times, Taylor was too vulnerable in the one-on-one situations in that environment.

“Certainly, Jeffrey Schlupp’s display against Bayern Munich when he policed Michael Olise superbly in Germany spoke to that extent because Taylor found it hard against him in the first leg.

‘Taylor is absolutely perfect for the way Rodgers wants to play’

“Kieran Tierney is that upgrade. He is capable of playing at the highest level and performing to a big standard against Europe’s best. But none of this means Taylor isn’t important. Quite the opposite, in fact. I watched him against Kilmarnock last weekend and it is clear to me that he is absolutely perfect for the way Rodgers wants to play.

“Taylor’s ability is invaluable”

“The way he drifts infield into that inverted position, flits around to create overloads in the middle and plays with intelligence is clear. Domestically, when teams are going man for man and packing their two banks of four, Taylor’s ability is invaluable.”

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers on the pitch at full-time. Final score Celtic 5 Kilmarnock 1. Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025. IMAGO photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

“I’ll be honest, I don’t see Tierney as being able to do that as effectively”

Chris Sutton continued: “I’ll be honest, I don’t see Tierney as being able to do that as effectively. He’s a better one-on-one defender, but plays more on the outside linking with wingers in channels in the way Alistair Johnston does on the right for Rodgers.

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“Tierney isn’t as effective inside. It’s probably why Mikel Arteta picked Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of him and now Myles-Lewis Skelly at Arsenal. Schlupp, as good as he has been in other aspects, hasn’t shown himself to me as being as effective as Taylor at it, either.

“No-one is guaranteed a game anywhere. Just go to France and ask Kyogo”

“Now the fact no deal is agreed at this point is probably down to two few things. One might be the player wanting to be a regular at 27 years of age or wanting a fresh challenge. I get that, but there’s two aspects in that. Firstly, no-one is guaranteed a game anywhere. Just go to France and ask Kyogo. There’s also the situation regarding Tierney’s injury record. I find it impossible to see a season where he plays 55 or 60 games given the recent record. Taylor is going to get plenty of opportunities.

Greg Taylor and Callum McGregor with the Premier Sports Cup. Photo Kenny Ramsay

“If it’s money, then that’s down purely to Celtic”

“If it’s money, then that’s down purely to Celtic. If Rodgers sees fit, the offer made by the hierarchy can surely make the player’s mind up for him. We all know the club’s success is built on being smart with finances, but it’s clear to anyone that Taylor has big value in a squad.

“Just look at Boli Bolongoli or Alexander Bernabei for examples of past supposed upgrades on Taylor and how he easily saw them off the premises. It surely wouldn’t break the bank to offer Taylor the sort of package which would convince him to stay. And, if an agreement could be reached to keep him at Celtic, I’d imagine there would definitely be a Guard of Honour for him from his team-mates walking into Lennoxtown the following morning.”

Paul Gillespie

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