Former Celtic captain Stephen McManus admits Scott Brown leaves a "massive void" at Parkhead ahead of his summer exit.
McManus, who handed the armband over to Brown in 2010 after he departed for Middlesborough, believes the move to Aberdeen could be as monumental as Henrik Larsson's Celtic Park farewell.
Brown, who will join Stephen Glass at Aberdeen this summer, is among a host of big names heading towards the exit door in Glasgow's east end.
Ahead of the massive summer rebuild McManus, who has been working alongside interim boss John Kennedy since Neil Lennon's departure, believes the exit is a blow for the club.
McManus told the club website: “Scott is going to leave a massive, massive void.
“It’s not just about what Scott brings to the football pitch, I think that’s clear for everyone to see – anyone who’s educated in the game, whether that’s fans of Celtic or other teams – you know what he brings on the pitch.
"Scott will be sadly missed. I was here at Celtic when Henrik left – the club will move on, there’s absolutely no doubt about that, but Scott is going to leave behind such a big hole in the process.
“But there’s just so much more to him than what he does on the pitch.
"It’s his personality, the way he conducts himself on the training ground, in the building, what people think of him, he’s as inspirational a figure as I’ve ever come across in football. So many people look up to him.
“He’s never changed in his personality, he’s got a hunger and a drive in everything he does.
"Whether he goes into coaching, whether he goes into management when the time finally comes, he’ll be successful because of those traits and his ambition.
"That said, he’s still got a lot of football left to go, in my opinion, and I think he’s still got another couple of seasons left in him at this level."
