The 2024/25 season ends with yet another league title win and a dominant display of football to win the 55th title in club history. Brendan Rodgers has managed to turn things around and win the league, although the same can’t be said for the cup, where, although the best football betting sites insisted that Celtic would beat Aberdeen, things didn’t work out as planned.
A great part of Celtic’s success was due to the midfield, an area where Brendan Rodgers had loads of work to do. But who makes us tick? Who has been the best midfielder this season?
Callum McGregor: Aging Like Fine Wine
Callum McGregor has been the heart of Celtic’s midfield for quite few seasons now, and it seems as if he only gets better. A leader both in and out of the pitch, McGregor has had a fantastic season, showing why he is a must have piece on the Celtic squad, leading the orchestra and reducing tempo when needed. If Celtic have been successful this season, it’s, mostly, thanks to McGregor.
Reo Hatate: Filling a Difficult Void
2023/24 wasn’t the best of seasons for Reo Hatate, as he saw his playing time considerably reduced to that of the 2022/23 campaign. However, the Japanese has had an excellent season where he didn’t have an easy task, as he had to fill in the gap left by fellow Japanese teammate Kyogo Furuhashi who left for Rennes during the January window.
With 11 goals and 9 assists this season, Hatate has shown why he could become even better than Furuhashi, being Celtic’s playmaker and leading by example when the team was caught lacking.
Arne Engels: Unlimited Potential for a Record Signing
The departure of Matt O’Reilly to Brighton in the summer transfer window caught Celtic without a viable replacement. That was until the board decided to invest heavily in Belgian midfielder Arne Engels.
But the 21-year-old quickly shushed any possible talks about his transfer value and responded with 9 goals and 6 assists in his first season at Celtic Park. The Belgian midfielder has been an integral part of Brendan Rodgers’ squad and has proven both the investment made and his unlimited potential.
Paulo Bernardo: Serving His Purpose
Paulo Bernardo made his initial loan from Benfica permanent during last summer’s transfer window. Although it was clear he would have to fight for a place in the starting eleven, and it would certainly not be easy to do so, Bernardo has been an excellent rotation asset to give rest to the three players we have already mentioned.
Although it may seem as if he hasn’t had the gametime he desired, he has still gotten a fair number of minutes across 44 games, showing how much Brendan Rodgers appreciates Paulo Bernardo as a super-sub for the midfield, all thanks to his adaptability to play in different positions across the midfield.
Luke McCowan: The Excellent Super-Sub
If Paulo Bernardo is considered a great super-sub, then Luke McCowan is excellent, and it’s essentially what he has been in terms of performance this season. Arriving from Dundee in the summer, McCowan has found it difficult to make it to the starting eleven due to Celtic’s stacked midfield.
However, the Scottish midfielder has proven his quality every time he entered the pitch with 6 goals and 7 assists in just 13 starts this season, an incredible statistic for a player who gives the team the bit of energy they need every time he enters the pitch, also performing both offensively and defensively. Although it may be difficult, McCowan could be very close to making it to the starting eleven next season.
Looking Ahead
Brendan Rodgers has had a very difficult task this season, every player in the midfield has done a great job despite their circumstances and the eventual departure of star Kyogo Furuhashi hasn’t been felt in the last part of the season.
As Celtic prepare for next season, McGregor, Hatate and Engels seem to be the three individuals to make the starting eleven, but they must not underperform if they don’t want to be quickly replaced by Paulo Bernardo and McCowan, two players who are waiting for their chance to become regular starters.
