It is right that Celtic is opening contract talks with the player who might be our next captain.

The news that Celtic is set to open contract negotiations with Alistair “AJ” Johnston comes as no surprise to me, but it’s certainly gratifying. Regular readers will know that last week I wrote about an interview he gave, and I thought he came across tremendously well.

Reports suggest that the club is ready to make him one of the highest earners at Celtic, a reward he thoroughly deserves for the exemplary way he conducts himself both on and off the pitch. His talents are undeniable, and he’s been outstanding recently.

Celtic has always rewarded its best players by offering them improved contracts. While these deals won’t match the astronomical sums on offer down south, they do show that this is a club that values its players. It’s a place where they can earn well and enjoy a stable career.

AJ is clearly one of those players who can stay as long as he wants and remain a key part of the team. He’s undoubtedly the best signing of the Mark Lawwell era, and he has the potential to reach the very top of the game.

I hope he sees Celtic as the vehicle to achieve that, especially with the prospect of more high-profile matches on the horizon.

If, as many suspect, there’s a European League of some kind in the future, we’ll be playing more frequently against top-class teams. This year’s Champions League campaign offers eight matches, all of which will provide AJ with the chance to test himself and continue improving.

Combine that with the adulation from the fans, encouragement from the manager, and the recognition from the club, and it’s hard to see why he’d want to go elsewhere unless money is his sole motivator—and I don’t believe it is.

But there’s another incentive Celtic could offer Alistair Johnston beyond financial rewards. This brings us to a comparison with James Tavernier’s current situation at Ibrox, which looks increasingly precarious, in stark contrast to Johnston’s bright future.

No one at Celtic wants to think about losing Callum McGregor anytime soon. But at 31, the same age as Tavernier, we must start planning for a future without him. McGregor will be incredibly tough to replace as a player, but even harder to replace as a leader. It would be fantastic to think we already have a ready-made leader at the club who could step into his shoes when the time comes.

This transition won’t happen the way it has with Tavernier at Ibrox. Celtic would never disrespect or disregard Callum McGregor’s sacrifices and commitment in the manner we’ve seen across town. McGregor will step down when he feels he can no longer give everything to Celtic, much like Scott Brown did.

When Brown reached 33, he knew he no longer had the legs to chase opponents around the pitch as he once did, and he would never settle for giving less than 100%. McGregor will be the same, and while this conversation might be uncomfortable, it’s a necessary one.

Yes, it may still be years away, but it’s not so far off that we shouldn’t already be considering the handover. At that point, we’ll need someone who knows the club inside out, someone with the right personality—a winning personality—who understands the game and speaks with passion and conviction.

I never got the impression that Tavernier fit that mould. I’ve listened to him closely over the last few years, and I never sensed any real leadership qualities in his interviews. Moreover, their manager’s recent comments at a symposium, which I covered yesterday, didn’t suggest he understands what makes a great leader either, although he does seem to recognise that it’s not Tavernier.

Part of the reason their club is struggling is a lack of leaders in the dressing room, people who can rally the team when things aren’t going well and lead by example on the pitch.

Alistair Johnston seems to be precisely that sort of player—an optimist, a leader, unafraid to speak his mind, but also humble, intelligent, and calm under pressure. These are immense qualities and exactly what we need.

In my opinion, Alistair Johnston is more than capable of becoming Celtic’s next captain.

This should be part of the conversation in the current contract negotiations and a cornerstone of his next deal. He would be a magnificent leader for this team, and I have no doubt that people inside the club, including Brendan Rodgers, are already thinking along these lines.