Lagerbielke eyes summer move away from Celtic

With folk seemingly certain of the positions that we wish to reinforce, the tabloids and online media sports pages have been awash with links to various footballers from all over the world it would seem.

Whilst we know that the club are looking to sign players for certain positions and sprinkle that squad and starting eleven more crucially, with quality for another tilt at the UEFA Champions League group stage and it’s new format, there are players that simply need to be moved on for their own sake as well as ours. With twenty-odd million worth of talent funnelling it’s way through the famous Parkhead Gates last year, the squad is once again bloated.

And – it has to be stated – with very little return for our substantial investments. No, it was another one of those back-to-the-drawing-board moments for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers, as the club neglected his cry for ready-made stars in key positions, instead focussing habitually on the buy low-sell high model we’ve been adhering to for years. This has subsequently saw the Chairman’s son removed from his place at Lennoxtown and told to find new employment.

There are but few success stories from the past few transfer windows now and the Hoops really need to start making it strike moving forward. Still though, the legacy of past recruitment drives have to be sorted out just as badly as we need those extra few pieces of experience and quality in our squad. One of the names who looks set to depart is Gustaf Lagerbielke, who has been like an apparition around the club.

It’s been clear that Rodgers doesn’t fancy the big man and hasn’t since day one, with many summising that he’s too slow to play the high defensive line which Rodgers favours so much. Whilst it is unknown the exact particulars of that situation, what is known is that the Swede needs to find gainful employment elsewhere to have a chance at fulfilling any possible potential he has in top-level football.

On that subject, he’s been speaking to a publication called Fotbollskanalen, and has revealed he has interest in his services from Serie A and elsewhere too. He said: “I know that there are a number of teams that are interested, but not much more than that. There are interested teams in Italy and also other leagues. It is difficult to say anything before something is ready. I have a contract with Celtic, but it’s no secret that I want to play.”

It will be interesting to see how much the Hoops will demand for a player they shelled out £3 million for just last summer. The sticking point in any deal is that he has barely kicked a ball and is quote obviously surplus to requirements. Added to that is the significant wage that he is on – which Lecce claimed was already too high in January – and Celtic may have to take a hit on this one.