We Urgently Need to Talk About Greg Taylor

As Greg Taylor quietly goes about his Business as Celtic’s left back, it’s easy to overlook just how integral he has been to the club’s recent success.

Yet, as January approaches, a strange paradox emerges: the left-back, one of the most consistent performers for both Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, will be free to talk to other clubs. Despite his value, there has been no word of a new contract, and Celtic are perilously close to losing one of their most reliable players on a free transfer.

Taylor’s story is a curious one. Signed from Kilmarnock in 2019, he arrived under a cloud of scepticism, many fans wondering if he was cut from the right cloth to replace Kieran Tierney. At the time, he was seen as an unspectacular, workmanlike option. Yet over the years, Taylor has quietly evolved, becoming a keystone in the modern Celtic machine. His ability to fit seamlessly into Postecoglou’s high-tempo, possession-based system—tucking into midfield to overload opposition defences—was pivotal to the team’s success under the Australian.

Brendan Rodgers, too, sees his value, using him as a reliable outlet to stretch play and instigate attacks from deep. But there remains a puzzling undercurrent of underappreciation. Taylor is not the type of player to dominate highlight reels with thunderous goals or dazzling tricks; his contribution is measured in the subtle, often unnoticed work—overlapping runs, positional intelligence, and an unerring ability to link defence to attack with tidy efficiency.

However, it’s these subtleties that might explain why a section of the Celtic support hasn’t fully embraced him. He doesn’t grab headlines in the way a marauding full-back like Tierney once did. There’s an old adage that says you only notice a great defender when they’re gone, and Taylor’s quiet excellence has often gone unnoticed amidst the chaos of Celtic’s relentless domestic dominance.

Now, with just months left on his deal and no contract talks in sight, one has to wonder if the club itself might be guilty of this same underappreciation. A player like Taylor, one who so clearly understands the rhythms of Celtic’s Game, should have been tied down by now. There’s a lingering danger that the club’s delay in offering him a new deal might be more than just an oversight. It could send the wrong message to the player, a sign that his contributions aren’t as valued as they should be.

That delay could prove costly. Taylor is only 26, entering the peak of his career. Two of his best friends from his Celtic days, Kristoffer Ajer and Ryan Christie, both chose the Premier League when their own Celtic chapters came to a close. It’s not hard to imagine Taylor watching their success with keen interest. They’ve proven that it’s possible to make the transition and succeed, even if you’re not the biggest name in the squad.

Could Taylor follow their path? If Celtic continue to drag their feet on a new contract, the allure of the Premier League might become too strong to resist. With just over three months until he can talk to other clubs, it’s not unreasonable to think that agents, managers, and scouts will soon begin circling. A player with Taylor’s intelligence, adaptability, and versatility would slot comfortably into a mid-table Premier League side,. He’s not the flashiest, but teams at that level don’t always need flashy—they need dependable.

For Celtic, the situation is teetering on a knife-edge. This isn’t just about Football; it’s about psychology. Players want to feel valued. The delay in securing Taylor’s future risks sending the wrong message: that his steady contributions over the years are somehow less important than the more headline-grabbing exploits of others. And that, in itself, could push him toward the exit.

With every day that passes without an offer, the chances of Taylor flirting with an exit grow. It’s a dangerous Game to play. Once a player starts considering his options, it’s hard to turn back. If Taylor gets a taste for what life might be like elsewhere—a higher salary, a new challenge, or simply the validation that comes with being pursued—it could be too late for Celtic to keep him.

The ball, quite literally, is in Celtic’s court. Taylor’s contract situation is a quiet storm brewing on the horizon. It’s time for the club to show their appreciation for a player who has given them everything. The last thing Celtic fans want is to find out too late just how much Greg Taylor really means to this team.