Chris Sutton has called on Celtic to wrap up Greg Taylor’s contract extension, with Taylor reportedly recently offered a new deal until the summer of 2028.
Sutton, who has at times been critical of Taylor, does however see the positives in keeping the left-back at the club long-term.
Taylor is a divisive player despite consistently featuring in a winning Celtic side since his arrival in 2019. The criticism directed at him has, at times, been over the top from some.
However, as he showed against Kilmarnock last week with his man-of-the-match display, he drowns out the noise and remains focused on breaking back into the starting XI.
With Sutton weighing in on the current Greg Taylor contract situation, he made it clear what he would do if he were in charge of Celtic.
He said: (RecordSport), “If I were Celtic, I’d be chaining Taylor to the front door until he signed an extension. Tierney may be the upgrade, but Taylor is perfect for how Rodgers wants to play. His intelligence, positioning, and ability to create overloads are vital domestically.
”No deal yet might be down to Taylor seeking regular football or a new challenge, but with Tierney’s injury record, Taylor will get plenty of chances.
”If it’s about money, Celtic should act—he’s clearly a valuable squad player. Just look at how he outlasted Bernabei and Bolingoli. He deserves a deal—and maybe even a guard of honour at Lennoxtown if he signs.”
Celtic’s Reo Hatate celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Greg Taylor and Adam Idah REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Taylor has a different skillset—he’s better at inverting and moving into midfield at times, which gives Rodgers a different attacking option rather than having like-for-like players in a position that often creates so many chances for Celtic.
It seems a no-brainer for Taylor to sign a new deal, and you can’t blame him for delaying contract talks this late—his wife recently gave birth to their daughter, so his mind has understandably been elsewhere. Family always comes first.
If Celtic do end up extending Taylor’s contract, it will highlight a brilliant level of depth at left-back—a position that’s often overlooked. However, as Jeffrey Schlupp has shown in recent months, if it isn’t addressed properly, it can cause serious problems.
