CALLUM MCGREGOR has watched on with pride as Kieran Tierney has gone south to England and become a Premier League star with Arsenal. Former Celtic teammate Stuart Armstrong has been a hit at Southampton. And when he joins up with the national side, he sees the likes of John McGinn, Scott McTominay and Andy Robertson, all regulars in the self-proclaimed ‘greatest league in the world’.

There must be a part of the Celtic midfielder that knows he has the talent and the drive to emulate his friends and colleagues, and probably also a part of him that is tempted to take on the challenge.

Certainly, there are clubs in the English top-flight who would be willing to offer him the opportunity, with Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City reported to be ready to test Celtic’s resolve with an offer for the 27-year-old this summer.

According to John Kennedy though, there’s little chance of the man he sees as the obvious successor to Scott Brown as captain agitating for a lucrative move to the EPL, with the mission to put Celtic back at the top of the Scottish football pecking order one he feels will appeal to the midfielder.

“I don't think there's a danger of Callum hankering for the Premier League or becoming disenchanted at Celtic,” Kennedy said.

“Callum's very committed to the club. He showed that when he sat down last time to sign his new contract.

“I know Callum well, I've had him from the youth team all the way through. Speaking to him, he's a leader in his own right and the perfect character.

“That's in terms of how he conducts himself every day, his professionalism and his performances in big moments.

“He's very much committed to Celtic. This season has hurt Callum, as it has us all.

“But the club's been a huge part of his life and he's very driven to make it change again.

“He's been a huge part of the success we've had and this season has hit him hard.

“He wants us to quickly hit our stride next season and put things right. Callum is committed fully to the club.

“I see Callum as the next captain and successor to Scott. If I'm asked my opinion on it, I'd say Callum.

“He's a different type of personality to Scott. He's a very humble guy but his leadership skills are based around behaviours.

“The way he approaches training every day, how he conducts himself and how he performs.

“He's always got an element of calmness about him. He's a very stable guy which is good for our captain who is one of the first in the building.

“He does everything to the best we can, he maximises what he's got. So he's a great leader in that respect.

“He'd be a natural replacement for Scott.”

With Brown leaving the club, there may also be scope for an unlikely return to the Celtic first-team fold for outcast Olivier Ntcham.

The midfielder’s loan move to Marseille has been a disaster from the get-go, with then manager Andres Villas-Boas offering his resignation in protest at the Frenchman being brought to the club.

It hasn’t got much better since that inauspicious start, and Kennedy says that he may be able to reignite his career in Scotland if he comes back in the summer with the right attitude.

“We're not closing any doors on Olivier,” Kennedy said. “I spoke to him a few weeks ago and I have a good relationship with him.

“He was keen to get out for a new challenge and the club agreed on that. It was good for both of us at that time.

“But if there's going to be changes in the summer, Olivier might be motivated to give Celtic another shot.

“He's a very good player as we know so that's a conversation that will have to take place at the end of the season if Olivier wants to come back and fight to be at Celtic.

“He could be a big part of the club moving forward because he's a talented player.

“Marseille hasn't worked out for him and sometimes the grass isn't greener.

“He's a good lad, he's professional and in the coming weeks the club will need to speak to him about how his future looks.

“It'll be about squad management and how it's going to look for next season. It hasn't really been addressed.

“There hasn't been too much discussion because of the uncertainty around things.

“But several parties will have those talks in the coming weeks. We'll have our own ideas but it'll be up to the decision makers.”