Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson has sparked debate across Glasgow after suggesting Celtic captain Callum McGregor could be tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia – potentially reuniting with former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers.
Speaking on The Breakdown podcast alongside ex-Celtic players Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew, Thomson raised the possibility while discussing Celtic’s current transition period, leadership pressures, and the long-term future of their most reliable figure.
When asked whether Rodgers, now working in the Middle East as head coach of Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah, could look to bring McGregor with him, Thomson did not dismiss the idea.
“Do you think Rodgers will try and take him to Saudi?” Thomson asked the Celtic duo during the discussion, before answering his own question.
“If I was Brendan, I would try to take him right away.”
For Rangers supporters, the significance of the comment lies less in transfer speculation and more in what it represents.
McGregor has been the heartbeat of Celtic for well over a decade – the player everything funnels through, the leader trusted in every big moment.
The idea of him even being discussed as a potential departure underlines how fragile Celtic’s position has become.
Thomson acknowledged the financial realities at play, even for a club of Celtic’s stature.
“One thing about every football club – money does talk,” he said.
“If it’s going to benefit Celtic and it’s going to benefit Cal, you never know what can happen.”
However, the former Celtic captain, Brown, questioned whether the Celtic skipper himself would truly want such a move.
“Will Cal want to leave, really? To go to Saudi? I don’t really think so,” Thomson added.
“I think he enjoys his football.”
That balance – between loyalty, comfort, and the pull of massive contracts – is one Rangers fans will recognise from their own recent history.
But Thomson’s wider point was clear: Celtic are heavily reliant on McGregor, and any disruption to that axis would be seismic.
Throughout the podcast, Thomson repeatedly returned to the idea of core players and how title-winning sides are built around dependable figures.
From a Rangers perspective, that trust is exactly what Danny Röhl has been trying to re-establish at Ibrox – spreading responsibility rather than leaning on one irreplaceable figure.
The contrast was stark: Rangers building depth and structure, Celtic clinging to a single constant.
But that durability also raises questions about longevity. At 32, McGregor is no longer in his prime years, and with Celtic entering yet another reset, the Saudi option – however unlikely – becomes part of a broader uncertainty.
For Rangers supporters watching momentum build at Ibrox, Thomson’s comments will feel telling.
While Celtic face questions about leadership, futures, and reliance on familiar faces, Rangers are pushing forward with clarity and competition across the squad.
Whether McGregor ever follows Rodgers to Saudi Arabia is almost secondary.
The key takeaway from Thomson’s remarks is that Celtic’s foundation suddenly looks less untouchable – and in a title race tightening by the week, that matters.