Brighton should go all out to land Callum McGregor in January
Brighton manager Chris Hughton is a long-term admirer of Scottish midfielder Callum McGregor and wants to bring the 25-year-old Celtic star to Amex Stadium in January, claims the Guardian.
A product of Celtic’s youth system, Mcgregor made his senior debut for the Scottish giants in 2014 and has established himself as a hot property in the Scottish Premiership. The 25-year-old has made a total of 186 appearances for the club across all competitions, finding the back of the net on 35 occasions. McGregor also spent time on loan at League One side Notts County in 2013/14, where he scored 14 goals.
Brighton have made a decent start to their Premier League campaign and the Seagulls currently sit 13th in the standings with 8 points from their first 8 games. The Seagulls took everyone by surprise when they beat Manchester United 3-2 in their second game but Hughton’s side has blown hot and cold since then.
Brighton made headlines in the transfer market by signing Iranian star Alireza Jahanbakhsh. However, the former AZ Alkmaar man is yet to make a significant impact.
Defender Lewis Dunk has strung together some consistent performances at the back and received a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England side. Also, Anthony Knockaert and Solly March have been influential down the flanks while the 35-year-old Glenn Murray has proven that he is far from a spent force in the Premier League.
However, Brighton do not have the best scoring record in the Premier League, having scored only 9 goals so far. To be honest, most of the creative play has come from the wings and Hughton doesn’t have a versatile creative midfielder.
In Davy Propper and Beram Kayal, the Seagulls have two good quality central midfielders who can contribute to the build-up play in the attacking third but are not capable of sparking creativity.
Brighton need a versatile midfielder who is capable of playing in multiple positions in the midfield and Callum McGregor is the perfect choice.
McGregor, who has represented Scotland at all youth levels and the senior level, is primarily an attacking midfielder who is also capable of playing as a right midfielder and a central attacking midfielder.
Although he is often deployed in a No.10 role behind the striker, he can also play in a deep position due to his technical abilities and tactical awareness.
The 25-year-old has a sound technique which allows him to maintain good close control and drive forward with pace. He is a nimble-footed player who is capable of cutting inside from the right with his stronger left foot and doesn’t hesitate to test the goalkeeper with powerful and accurate shots.
McGregor is a good No.10 but struggles to get into the game at times. He is more comfortable in a deeper role from where he can dictate terms in the midfield with his neat and tidy passing.
Operating from a deeper role, not only does he link up the play efficiently with his teammates but also drives forward with pace and gets into the box to score goals. Furthermore, he is a two-footed player who is renowned as a distance shooter.
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Hence, acquiring Callum McGregor’s services could potentially bolster Brighton’s forces significantly. It would also allow Solly March to operate from the flanks instead of playing as a No.10.
Furthermore, with McGregor in the team as a supporting playmaker, Hughton can utilize Jahanbakhsh in a supporting role behind Glenn Murray.
That said, McGregor is definitely an exciting proposition for the Seagulls and they should go all out to land him in January for what might be a cut-price deal.
