Exclusive: Celtic board fear star is engineering exit as talks held with Rodgers
Celtic fear Callum McGregor will be seduced by the glamour of the Premier League and the prospect of a reunion with Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City, Football Insider can reveal.
A wretched week for the Hoops has become even more testing by Rodgers reigniting efforts to prise the midfielder, 27, from Parkhead.
As revealed by Football Insider earlier this week, Leicester are preparing to submit a £20million bid for McGregor as they try to sign him by the 5 October deadline.
Celtic refused to cave in last year and blocked McGregor from leaving in the same window as fellow homegrown star Kieran Tierney.
He subsequently signed a new five-year contract that runs until the summer of 2024 and lifted him into the top bracket of earners at the Glasgow giants.
But the club board, one source said, fear the Scotland international's head is being turned by Rodgers.
The prospect of losing one of their key players and a distinguished academy product at the start of the historic 10-in-a-row tilt is a deeply unpalatable one for Celtic and their supporters.
The hierarchy know McGregor was attracted by linking up again with Rodgers last summer and believe fresh talks have taken place.
Celtic are braced for an offer from Leicester, who have cash in the bank following Ben Chilwell's £45m move to Chelsea.
McGregor has been one of Celtic's star performers during their remarkable dominance of the Scottish game, which has included nine league titles in a row.
The 19-times Scotland international has made 279 appearances for the Hoops, scoring 49 goals and providing 56 assists.