Gustaf Lagerbielke left Celtic in the summer and joined the Dutch side, FC Twente, on loan for the season. The Swedish international was able to establish himself as a regular starter for the club and it looked like it was only a matter of time before he ended up making the move permanent. For a while, he was even hailed as one of the best centre-backs in the Eredivisie. But it would be safe to say that things have taken an unexpected turn in recent weeks.
It looks like Lagerbielke's touted move to FC Twente is now up in the air. He was left out on the bench as an unused substitute in their recent outing in the Eredivisie.
As reported by Twente Insite, technical director Arnold Bruggink had indicated that he would like to sign the loanee from Celtic permanently. But in recent weeks, Lagerbielke has underperformed. Joseph Oosting chose Alec van Hoorenbeeck next to Mees Hilgers in the heart of the defence against PEC Zwolle at the weekend. This was a clear signal to the Swedish defender, who was, therefore, no longer eligible for a starting spot.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Lagerbielke. He has been on the receiving end of some criticism lately, especially for his technical ability or the lack of it. So, his exclusion from the team did not come as exactly a surprise to many.
Gustaf Lagerbielke's Celtic exit plans take sudden U-turn
If FC Twente do want to sign Lagerbielke on a permanent basis in the summer, they will have to negotiate a transfer fee with Celtic. That is because they are believed to not hold a buyout clause in the loan deal.
The belief is that Celtic could be looking for a transfer fee in the region of €4 million for Lagerbielke. Let's see if FC Twente make a move.
Even if they don't, one would imagine that there would be a decent bit of interest in signing the Swedish defender. He might have struggled lately, but overall, this has been a positive campaign for Lagerbielke.