Brendan Rodgers aptly stated in his Friday press conference that if every player rumored to depart Celtic actually left, he’d be left with a five-a-side club for the remainder of the season.
No assessment of Celtic’s transfer situation would be complete without including Matt O’Riley and Kyogo Furuhashi.
Both the Hoops’ Player of the Year and their most consistent goalscorer have admirers in the Premier League. Brighton and Hove Albion want O’Riley, and Manchester City has turned to Kyogo after selling Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid.
There is also concern around periphery players Mikey Johnstone and Gustaf Lagerbielke.
Celtic could send Gustaf Lagerbielke to Derby County
Following a spectacular loan spell with West Brom, Johnstone might return to the English Championship with Sheffield United.
Lagerbielke, meanwhile, was revealed as a target for Eredivisie club Heerenveen this week.
Ferry de Haan, Heerenveen’s CEO, tells Leeuwarder Courant that he is hopeful that a deal can be reached for a man whose lone notable moment as a Celtic player was scoring a late winner against Feyenoord in the Champions League last season.
De Haan is quick to stress out that no deal has been struck just yet. Not with Lecce still in the picture – Lagerbielke has previously expressed a desire to play in Italy – and Derby County in talks over a loan deal, according to the Daily Record.
Paul Warne, the Rams’ manager, did not mention Lagerbielke by name ahead of Saturday’s trip to Watford. However, he confirms that Derby are looking for a centre-half.
“We’re doing everything we can,” Warne told the Derby Telegraph. “We still need to bring another defender in.
“I sure we will sign players before the window closes. It’s muddy water out there right now, but we’re doing our best to navigate through it.”
Brendan Rodgers admits £3m man can leave Parkhead
Celtic paid £3 million to buy Lagerbielke from Swedish side Elfsborg in the summer of 2023.
The 24-year-old has made only seven Premier League matches, three of which he started. Lagerbielke has also not played at all this season, with Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Stephen Welsh all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Rodgers also stated at his own press conference that Lagerbielke has been nothing but professional despite his limited opportunities. The Scottish champions will not stand in his way, even if they receive an appropriate offer.
“I think, to be fair to Gustaf, going and playing would be important for him,” Rodgers says on Celtic’s official YouTube channel. “I have to say, he’s been absolutely amazing every day in practice.
“I understand how difficult it has been for him at times not to be on the bench and to train here as a small group on Saturday or Sunday mornings.
“He has never strayed from being the ideal professional. For me, he deserves the opportunity to go and play.
“He wasn’t in my plans to play, but he’s been an excellent teammate and a true pleasure to coach. He deserves the opportunity to play, and we’ll see what it looks like.”