Celtic may want John McGinn but would he face impossible task?

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John McGinn has been tipped to replace Scott Brown for both Scotland and Celtic, which is easier said than done.

Brendan Rodgers is supposedly a big fan of the Hibernian midfielder John McGinn.

So much so that, according to the Express, Celtic believe the 23-year-old can step into the shoes of veteran skipper Scott Brown as he enters the autumn of his illustrious playing career at Parkhead.

The Hoops have been linked with the £5 million-rated McGinn for almost a year now and, with just over 12 months remaining on his contract, speculation is likely to intensify again in the near future. The Chronicle has already claimed that Celtic are still interested in a midfielder wanted by David Moyes at West Ham United.

But replacing Brown is easier said than done. As impressive as McGinn has been this season – Celtic fans once again clamoured for his arrival after the weekend’s 2-0 win against Hearts – the recently retired Scotland international looks nigh on irreplaceable.

Brown has been reborn since Brendan Rodgers took over at Celtic in 2016 and delivered an absolute masterclass of a performance in the dramatic 3-2 Old Firm derby win at Rangers on Sunday afternoon.

Despite Jozo Simunovic’s red card, Odsonne Eduoard’s dramatic winner and Alfredo Morelos’s staggering miss, it is testament to Brown that much of the post-match talk was devoted to his glorious display in the centre of the field.

He was a class above and delivered a performance of mighty leadership just when Celtic, whose status as Scotland’s undisputed top dogs has come under question amid Rangers’ resurgence, needed him the most.

McGinn, for all his talents, has a long way to go before he can dominate a match of this magnitude like his so-called presumptive heir.