Celtic left-back Greg Taylor’s contract situation has been a long-drawn saga, with uncertainty still surrounding his future. Although the 27-year-old full-back is set to be out of contract this summer, he has not signed an extension, likely influenced by the impending return of Kieran Tierney, which could significantly reduce his playing time.
Earlier, there were reports of various clubs being interested in securing Taylor's signature, with Dinamo Zagreb viewed as the most likely destination for the Scottish left-back this summer.
Interestingly, no contracts seem to have been signed as of now and with the recent sacking of their manager, Fabio Cannavaro, last week, a shadow now looms large over this potential move.
Unsurprisingly, the Celtic dressing room is also aware of the speculation regarding Taylor’s future. James Forrest, a long-time teammate of his at Celtic, recently spoke about the general feeling within the squad.
Forrest told the Daily Record (via 67 Hail Hail): “It’s a personal decision, but in the time he’s been here Greg has been unreal.
“When he first came in, he maybe wasn’t in the team but he’s played near enough every game for the last three and a half, four seasons. So it’s credit to him.
“It’s up to him at the end of the day. I think everyone within the club, we know how much influence he has in the changing room and on the training pitch every day.
“So we’d all be desperate for him to stay. Everyone knows that KT’s coming back as well, so he might be thinking about that.
“I’ve seen it before. At this type of club, you’re always signing players. There’s always going to be competition for places and it feels as though some people can thrive off that as well.
“It’s a personal decision for Greg and everyone close to him, it’s up to him what he does.”
Taylor has been Celtic’s first-choice left-back for most of his time at the club but recently lost his spot to loanee Jeffrey Schlupp for a while.
However, Schlupp’s recent dip in form has once again highlighted Taylor’s value to the team. In Celtic’s recent 5-1 win over Kilmarnock, the Scottish left-back was given the nod ahead of the Crystal Palace loanee, and the 27-year-old delivered a brilliant performance.
So, Taylor should carefully consider his decision despite the upcoming arrival of Tierney. Schlupp’s loan spell is set to expire at the end of the season, and based on recent form, a permanent deal looks unlikely.
Taylor could easily become the cover left-back behind Tierney or perhaps even reclaim the starting spot, given Tierney’s injury-prone nature.
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