Gustaf Lagerbielke is expected to rejoin Celtic this summer following a loan stint with Dutch side FC Twente, with the Eredivisie side unlikely to make the move permanent.
The 25-year-old centre-half featured prominently in Twente’s campaign, making 32 appearances in all competitions as they secured a respectable sixth-place finish.
However, outgoing technical director Arnold Bruggink poured cold water on hopes of a long-term deal for the Swedish defender while discussing the club’s defensive plans moving forward.
He said: (RecordSport), “Lagerbielke will most likely go back too. That’s what it looks like at the moment.
“Two central defenders, one of whom has to be a real leader, as far as I’m concerned.
“The profile you’re looking at is that of Robin Pröpper.
“You need a leader from the back, which will give you a lot more stability.
“You need players who can also make others play better football. That’s what you need in that position.”
Lagerbielke, who joined Celtic in the summer of 2023, now returns to a Hoops squad featuring centre-backs like Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, and Auston Trusty.
Also on the books are Maik Nawrocki, Dane Murray, and Stephen Welsh, with Welsh himself set to return after a loan spell in Belgium with KV Mechelen.
Celtic have plenty of centre-backs, and it’s not clear if Brendan Rodgers wants to bring Lagerbielke back into the team or send him out again, either on loan or permanently. Rodgers has also been linked with a move for teenage defender Veljko Milosavljevic, making it seem unlikely that Lagerbielke will stay.
