By Alan Hutton

17th Sep, 2019 | 1:54pm

Exclusive: Alan Hutton tips Celtic ace for PL move as £1.8m-a-yr offer readied

EXCLUSIVE

Alan Hutton has expressed his surprise that Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor has not secured a move to the Premier League.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Russell Edge, the former Scotland international claimed he is a big admirer of the 26-year-old midfielder.

The Scottish champions rebuffed strong interest in their academy product from Leicester City in the summer window, including a second attempt from his former boss Brendan Rodgers to sign him on Premier League deadline day.

Leicester were willing to pay between £15million and £20million for McGregor, who signed a new contract only last December that runs until the summer of 2023.

Asked by Football Insider if he’s surprised that McGregor has not yet moved to the Premier League, Hutton replied: “I am actually. He’s one that really excites me.

“Even with Scotland I enjoy watching him play, he’s so easy on the eye. He’s one of the talented boys that’s come out of Scotland so I’m a bit surprised he’s not went down south.

I’m sure there will be teams looking at him so I think possibly, in the future, he would fancy coming down south and having a go at it.”

Football Insider revealed earlier this month that Celtic are ready to offer McGregor a new deal worth £1.8million-a-year to keep him at Parkhead.

He is firmly established as one of the key players for Scotland and Celtic, making 237 appearances in total for his boyhood club since graduating from the ranks.

In other Celtic news, it can be REVEALED that club chiefs are “confident” a new signing will ‘terrorise’ opponents after Lennoxtown developments.