Celtic have missed out on the bargain signing of Milan van Ewijk, with AD reporting that the ADO Den Haag defender has agreed a move to Eredivisie rivals Heerenveen.
While Mikael Lustig had his fair share of critics at Parkhead, no one could argue with the consistency and the loyalty the Sweden international brought to the green half of Glasgow during seven seasons as the club’s first-choice right-back.
Two years on from his departure to Genk, Celtic have found out the hard way that replacing one of their longest-serving players was easier said than done.
Jeremy Frimpong and Moritz Bauer have come and gone, Manny Perez and Antony Ralston failed to make their mark, while Jonjoe Kenny will return to Goodison Park in July following a short-lived loan spell at Celtic.
If the Hoops were hoping to solve what has become something of a problem position with 20-year-old Van Ewijk, they will be disappointed (Voetbal International).
Because, according to AD, ADO Den Haag have agreed to sell their prized asset to Heerenveen for an initial fee of £500,000 – a deal which drags the Eredivisie strugglers out of the red and into the black.
Van Ewijk, an attack-minded full-back, previously admitted that he would fit in nicely at the Frisian-based outfit and is understood to have put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Heerenveen.
Celtic’s search for a new, long-term right-back – someone capable of emulating Lustig’s trophy-laden spell in Scotland – goes on.
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