Gustaf Lagerbielke left Celtic to join Eredivisie side FC Twente, and has admitted that he is very happy at the Dutch club…
The Sweden international has performed really well by all accounts and there are strong suggestions now that he could be looking to make his temporary loan spell a permanent one this summer transfer window – if a deal can be struck between all parties involved.
A good, strong, capable defender
Lagerbielke seems like he is a good, strong, capable defender, but he just wasn’t suited to Celtic. Like so many of our summer of 2023 window, the Swede just didn’t fit the style of play that Brendan Rodgers wishes for in his team. That doesn’t mean to say that Lagerbielke and the others like Luis Palma are bad players, just that they were the wrong players for us.
Gus’ form hasn’t just been contained to domestic football though, and he’s put in several key performances for Twente in the Europa League this season too. Speaking to twenteinsite.nl about potentially linking up with the side from the Netherlands, he said: “I’ll wait. Everything is still open. In football, it is not always the player who can make decisions. But I’m happy here and the club is great for me. I enjoy playing here, the family feeling, the atmosphere in De Grolsch Veste.
“Last week the supporters pushed us forward again. In the second half you felt how players of Bodo/Glimt became intimidated. Against Besiktas, the stadium came all the way to a boiling point. The noise that night was sometimes similar to the Old Firm (sic).”
“I don’t hear much from Celtic, they probably have other things on their minds,” Gustaf Lagerbielke
The big defender revealed he hasn’t heard much from the Scottish Champions since his move abroad, but that he doesn’t mind that at all, as his focus is on his current environment.
“I don’t hear much from Celtic, they probably have other things on their minds. Me too. I focus on Twente,” he added. “A big goal for me is to play the World Cup with Sweden next year. I was in the selection last time, but the competition is great. If I keep playing well here, I will also get my chances in the national team. I choose my route very consciously.
“I have lived in six cities for the last six years”
“Every transition makes you wiser. I believe I have lived in six cities for the last six years. You also learn a lot from that, living in different places. That is also a driving force for me as a professional footballer: I want to discover new environments, see something of the world, get to know other cultures.”
This European run that Twente are on could see him reunited with his former foe from Scottish football in theRangers, as they await the winner of Twente’s tie with Bodø/Glimt.
He said: “I like it very much. Everything works, people are open and friendly. They speak good English. In the summer I could also return to Sweden, but I was far from bored abroad. I want to see so much more. That is the beauty of this new European approach. Many matches, many opponents.
“I look forward to the trip to Bodo. Hopefully we can still see the northern lights there. But the most important thing is that we go through a round.”
FK Bodø/Glimt play FC Twente in the Europa League second leg this evening. The Dutch side lead 2-1 from the first leg. Best of luck to Gustaf Lagerbielke tonight.
Paul Gillespie
He is already long forgotten at Celtic. He failed to make his mark with us for a variety of reasons and to be fair, was a poor signing. He was snapped up in desperation. He is far too similar to Jack Hendry. Slow, timid and couldn’t tackle a fish supper if he was starved for a fortnight!
He was never going to make it with us.
Just move on Gus, and stop blaming everyone else.