Overview
- Late July reports say Celtic have scaled back a permanent pursuit of loanee Marcelo Saracchi and have re-identified former left-back Greg Taylor as a realistic target to compete with Kieran Tierney.
- Taylor left Celtic for PAOK after his contract expired last summer, made around 18 appearances in Greece last season, and has publicly said he is “open to everything” about his future despite two years remaining on his PAOK deal.
- A statistical comparison published by Football Insider places Taylor ahead of Saracchi on several attacking and defensive metrics using Taylor’s 2024–25 figures and Saracchi’s 2025–26 loan numbers, though the samples cover different seasons and playing time.
- Fan reaction to the possible Taylor return has been mixed with many supporters favouring Saracchi’s form last season, and club factors such as homegrown status and managing Tierney’s minutes are influencing recruitment thinking.
- No transfer has been confirmed and talks have not been reported; the next steps to watch are PAOK’s willingness to sell or release Taylor and whether Celtic will make a formal approach this window.