Gustaf Lagerbielke has joined the Scottish Champions on a five-year deal on Wednesday evening. The talented defender was signed from Swedish club Elfsborg for a fee of around £3 million. Lagerbielke arrives at Celtic Park as a replacement for fellow countryman Carl Starfelt, who recently departed the club to join Spanish side Celta Vigo.
In his first interview since joining the Hoops, Lagerbielke expressed his excitement and pride at becoming a part of the Celtic family. He shared his thoughts on joining the club, his ambitions for the future, and what fans can expect from him on the pitch. From his initial reaction to Celtic’s interest to his aspirations in the Champions League, Lagerbielke provides insight into his journey and his goals as a Celtic player.
We at Celtsarehere are thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Gustaf Lagerbielke on Thursday afternoon. Stay tuned on our socials for the fan media press conference as we welcome the new bhoy to Celtic Park.
Until then, here is the transcript of his Celtic TV interview below.
Initial Reaction to Joining Celtic
- “Thank you very much; it feels really good. I’m really excited. I’m really proud to be here and yeah, really glad.”
When He First Knew About Celtic’s Interest
- “I think the first contact was a little more than a week ago. From there, it happened pretty fast. So I heard of the interest, and then obviously, I was really excited from the beginning. And I was pushing for making the deal to happen.”
Balancing Previous Commitments with New Opportunity
- “I think the most difficult was everything around it. Once you’re on the pitch, it’s just you don’t have time to think of something else. It was fine to get one last game with Elfsborg, even though we lost. But it felt good to end that chapter in a good way.”
Anticipation About Playing at Celtic
- “The first thing you think of when you hear the name Celtic is obviously fans, this stadium, and the atmosphere that the fans create here. And then also all the good players that have played here and are playing here now. So it’s going to be really exciting to play with them and hopefully bring something and then win a lot of games and titles.”
What Fans Can Expect from Him
- “Hard-working defender. I always want to win. I like to play out from the back, and keep my composure. Hopefully, I add in a couple of goals this season.”
Following in the Footsteps of Famous Swedish Players
- “It’s a good sign that a Swedish person can like it here and adapt to Scotland and to Glasgow. That’s good to know when you take a step like this that former Swedes have been there and done it well. So hopefully, I can walk in their footsteps.”
Ambitions with Celtic
- “Every player that signs for Celtic is having the ambition to win all domestic trophies and also do good in Europe. Carl Starfelt has been a really good player here, and hopefully, I can also be a really good player.”
Champions League Aspirations
- “It’s one of the reasons I started playing football when I was little, to play against the best in the biggest tournament there is. Hopefully, we can get some good results and advance to later stages.”
National Team Hopes
- “I focus more on developing as a player, and coming here I hope to develop even more. If I do what I can, then I’m going to get my chance in the national team also.”
Meeting New Teammates and the Manager
- “I met almost everyone today at the training ground. Playing games, I know they’re really good players all of them. So it’s going to be fun to play with them and learn from them also. [Speaking with Brendan] We had a brief chat before I came here, and now a brief chat today also. He just welcomed me and said it was nice to have me here.”
Advantage of Playing in the Swedish League
- “It’s been nice playing all summer in the Swedish league and getting this much fitness. So I’m ready to go straight into the action here in Celtic.”
Family and Friends’ Reaction
- “Everyone is really happy for me and proud. Almost all of my friends have already asked for tickets. Everyone is happy around me.”
