Lagerbielke’s Celtic situation has always been a mystery

Gustaf Lagerbielke has been called up to the Swedish national side for the upcoming Nation League fixtures. The defender is on a season loan at FC Twente from Celtic, and has clearly impressed in his time at the Dutch side, which his international call up clearly suggests.

Gustaf signed for the club in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth £3 million from Swedish side Elfsborg. Despite being highly rated, he struggled to make an impact under Brendan Rodgers, and like fellow defender Maik Nawrocki he was very much well and truly out of the picture.

The problem though, much like Nawrocki, Lagerbielke was decent enough in the few times he was selected by the Irishman. He wasn’t the flop figure that his absence from the first team would suggest.

He looked very much a decent player in his few outings in the first team, much better than Stephen Welsh who was often favoured over the Swede. Although Brendan Rodgers sees more of him than any of us, and he’s better placed to judge.

But It’s still very fair to point out that Lagerbielke has been very harshly treated. How he was never given a better chance at Celtic is anyone’s guess.