Chris Sutton has indicated that Celtic may need to bring in a new centre-half with the £7.5 million duo Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke already ‘surplus to requirements’ under Brendan Rodgers.
Of the three centre-halves Celtic signed during the summer of 2023, one has already said his goodbyes. Nat Phillips had his loan spell from Liverpool cut short after just six Scottish Premiership appearances.
Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke may not be too far behind either, two players who set The Hoops back £4.5 million and £3 million respectively struggling to make their mark in green and white.
Celtic icon not convinced by £7.5m duo
“The centre-half position is baffling. What is going on there?” Celtic legend Chris Sutton tells Sky Sports when asked about the club’s January transfer needs.
“Liam Scales has taken his opportunity, but Celtic spent £7.5m on Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke and they look surplus to requirements.”
Sweden international Lagerbielke will always have that stoppage time, Champions League winner against Feyenoord, but that cameo appearance off the bench at St Mirren on New Years’ Day was the first time he had featured in 15 top-flight games.
Things look a little brighter for Nawrocki, at least, the relatively big-money acquisition from Legia Warsaw impressing Brendan Rodgers in the Old Firm derby victory over Rangers, seizing his chance in the absence of an injured Cameron Carter-Vickers.
A turning point for Maik Nawrocki?
“I know what I have,” Rodgers said of Nawrocki recently. “He’s been unfortunate not to have played a bit earlier. He has picked up little niggles on his way back (from injury). He has trained for a few weeks and then picked up niggles when he’s not been involved.
“But that shows every faith that I have in him. I thought he was good when he came in.
A couple of moments when he maybe jumped in a wee bit but that is just about getting his timing back again. He passed it well and he is aggressive. He is going to be important for us in the second part of the season.”
HITC understands that, while Celtic may be forced into the market for defensive reinforcements (particularly at left-back with Alexandro Bernabei’s future uncertain), the Glasgow giants could look to reinforce their ranks in a number of other positions.
Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland and Ecuadorian midfielder Oscar Zambrano are two of the names under consideration by Celtic.
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