Ronny Deila hopes young Celtic players copy McGregor lead

McGregor has scored away to KR Reykjavik, Legia Warsaw and Maribor so far this season

Manager Ronny Deila hopes Callum McGregor's performances in Europe for Celtic this season can act as an example to other young players.

The 21-year-old midfielder scored against Maribor in the 1-1 Champions League play-off round first leg, his third away goal in Europe this season.

"It's hard to have only Celtic boys in the team. Then I don't think we will be (in the) Champions League," said Deila.

"But hopefully in the future we can go more the way like Ajax and Barcelona."

The manager is delighted to see McGregor make the most of his chances in the first team following a successful loan period last season at Notts County, where he scored 14 goals.

"I didn't know anything about him before we started training," the Norwegian said.

"At the beginning he was just one of many. But he performed in the matches when he got a chance, and after that he has been good enough to play.

"You have to do everything you can every day for when you get a chance, and use that well. Then you will develop and you will get your chances.

"He has played well all the time so that's why he is playing - because he is performing.

"He is a good player and he knows what he is doing. I'm really looking forward to working further with him because he has a lot to develop. He's a young talent and he's a Celtic boy, that's important.

"It's important to get Scottish players, players who have come through the youth, but it's very hard as well, because the level you are asked to be at, Champions League, is unbelievably hard."

While McGregor was catching the eye, Scotland's player of the year last term, Kris Commons, was on the bench in Slovenia.

However, Deila is sure he will work to get his place back.

He said: "I talked with him before I took him out the team. Kris is a team player and he understands it's not that he is playing badly, we just chose another formation. So there was no problem."

Meanwhile, as a loan move for Rubin Kazan winger Wakaso Mubarak nears completion, Deila admitted one of the players he is interested in is Cardiff midfielder Kim Bo-kyung.

"That's a guy we have been talking about but we haven't done anything concrete," he said.

"It's not about numbers, it's about quality. If we can get players who can make the team and the squad better, it could be two or three players. But if we don't find that, it could be zero."