Scottish Premiership champions Celtic reportedly contacted Championship outfit Stoke City about potentially signing right-back Moritz Bauer this summer.
As it stands, Mikael Lustig is in the final year of his contract at Celtic and it remains to be seen whether he will be offered a new deal with the Scottish Premiership giants.
On Thursday night’s evidence, however, maybe Brendan Rodgers should be looking at long-term replacements. The 31-year-old started in Celtic’s 1-0 Europa League victory against Rosenborg but hardly justified his place.
Lustig is starting to look like a weak link in European competition and many Celtic supporters inside Parkhead made their displeasure clear about his latest unconvincing display.
Now, according to the Scottish Sun, Rodgers is actively looking for a new right-back. And perhaps January would be the right time to renew his interest in Stoke City’s Austrian international Mortiz Bauer.
The Mail reported in August that Rodgers made contact with Stoke about potentially signing Bauer, who moved to the Bet365 Stadium from Rubin Kazan for £5 million in the January transfer window.
The 26-year-old impressed initially in the Premier League with his swashbuckling, all-action display but has found himself out of favour under Gary Rowett. Bauer hasn’t made a Championship appearance since August and featured in the Checkatrade Trophy clash away at Sunderland most recently.
Bauer, then, could do with a fresh start and Celtic should consider offering him an escape route with Lustig well past his best.
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