Greg Taylor admits he swapped Celtic for PAOK to ensure regular game time - but blasted claims he wasn't up for the challenge of competing with Kieran Tierney.
With the Hoops hero returning from Arsenal, Taylor's place in the team would have been far from assured if he had accepted the offer of a new contract and stayed put.
Instead, he has opted to try something new and head for Greece, rejecting the option of going to Denmark with Copenhagen or Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb.
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Aged 27, the Scotland star just wanted to make sure he continues to play regularly which is something he has managed in the main since moving to Parkhead from Kilmarnock in 2019.
Admitting leaving the Scottish champions was the hardest decision he has faced to date, Taylor is sure it remains the right one for his career.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "It's probably the toughest decision I have had in my career.
"When I left Kilmarnock in 2019 it was that bit easier, I was progressing and I wanted to go and play for the biggest team in Scotland.
"At that time, there probably wasn't many who believed I would play as many games as I did, but the one person who really did was myself. I was lucky to go and play 200 plus games for Celtic which was unbelievable.
"So, it wasn't easy - there was a million things to weigh up - but I just felt it was the right time to do it. I wanted to play regularly, and that is probably the big factor."
However, Taylor has hit back at a suggestion he wasn't up for the fight with Tierney for a place in the team, pointing out he has never shied away from competition from places during his six years at the club.
"I would certainly not say that is fair," he insisted. "There has been competition for my place at Celtic in the whole six years i was there, and it was not something I ever shirked from.
"I loved that. It drove me on and helped me find my best level. So, no, I wouldn't say it was particularly Kieran coming back, it just felt like it was the right time for me to try something different."
