'Ready to conquer': Scotland ace takes on new challenge and is unveiled with bagpipe-war paint video

Scotland internationalist Greg Taylor’s six-year association with Celtic is officially over after the left-back was announced by PAOK as a new signing.

Taylor had widely been expected to leave Celtic upon the expiration of his contract last month and the 27-year-old has penned a deal with the Greek Super League side, who finished third last season behind Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.

Taylor travelled to Thessaloniki on Monday to complete the formalities of his move. "He came from Scotland. He is ready to fight. He is ready to play. He is ready to conquer!" PAOK wrote on their social media channels to reveal the player’s arrival, with a video accompanying the post to the tune of bagpipes and Taylor in a No 32 shirt with black and white war paint across his cheeks.

Greg Taylor's trophy-laden spell at Celtic has come to an end. | Getty Images

Capped 14 times by Scotland, Taylor joined Celtic from Kilmarnock in 2019 and went on to make 216 appearances for the club, including 37 starts last term. He won five league titles, three Scottish Cups and three League Cups, including the treble in 2022/23.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made no secret of wanting to keep Taylor, but with the return of Kieran Tierney to the club, Taylor’s place as a starter was not guaranteed. Despite Celtic offering him a deal, he decided his future lies elsewhere.

Speaking back in March when Taylor’s exit became apparent, Rodgers said: "My idea was always to keep Greg and it still is. But I’ve been in this position so many times and I can read situations.

"It’s probably more likely now that Greg will move on than stay, which is a big shame for me because I love him as a person And I love his game because it’s suited to how we work. It’s not financial but I respect his position because he wants to feel he’ll play every week."

Celtic appear to have moved swiftly to fill the void left by Tierney. They are closing in on the signing of Albirex Niigata defender Hayato Inamura, who can play either at centre-half or left-back.