There is no doubt that Celtic will have a lot of rebuilding to do in the summer as quite a few players are on loan and others are in the final few months of their contract. The managerial position is also undecided so the board will have a lot of headaches coming their way in the next few months.
One player whose future has been up in the air for quite some time now is Mikael Lustig. The defender is 32, and he is in the last few months of his contract. Swedish outfit AIK are already in contact with the player for a possible move in the summer, but Lustig is likely to know about his future with Celtic once the season ends.
Former Celtic and Arsenal striker John Hartson recently wrote a column in the Evening Times and had his say on the right back’s situation at the club. He wrote, ”Lustig is not the long-term solution in his position. I would like to see a younger, first-choice right-back brought in, but I do wonder if Celtic may see the value in keeping Lustig around.”
”He has huge experience, having seen and done it all at the club during his years of really good service, and it might not be the worst thing in the world to have him around the place for another season even as a back-up if he was amenable to playing such a role.”
Why is Hartson correct?
We think Hartson is spot on with his assessment. The number of players that are leaving the club, the Hoops would be better off handing Lustig another short term deal and keep him as a backup for the right back position. The club will lose the services of Jeremy Toljan and Cristian Gamboa as well so they cannot afford to lose three right backs in the same window.
Toljan started well when Brendan Rodgers was the manager, but he was found out defensively. After Neil Lennon took over, Lustig has managed to win his place back. After that, he has put in some strong performances. However, the inconsistency is still there, and the Swedish international is not the same player that he was years ago.
What Should Celtic Do Here?
Signing a right back should definitely be on the agenda of the club in the summer. However, if the incoming player fails to adapt or takes time to settle in at the club, an experienced player like Lustig can fill in for him in the meantime. Hopefully Celtic would offer him a new deal. It would be interesting to see whether Lustig will extend his contract if he is offered a backup role for the next season.
