Brendan Rodgers looked like phasing Mikael Lustig out at Celtic.
Mark Wilson has admitted to The Scottish Sun that he thought right-back Mikael Lustig’s Celtic career was done.
Brendan Rodgers, who quit his role as Celtic boss last week, signed Jeremy Toljan on loan from Borussia Dortmund in January and had been playing him regularly ahead of the veteran Swede.
The Northern Irishman also signed another right-back in Manny Perez during the winter and, with Lustig’s contract up in June, things seemed ominous for the 32-year-old.
Neil Lennon, who brought the Sweden international to Parkhead in 2012, has since replaced Rodgers on an interim basis, and Lennon started Lustig ahead of Toljan in the 2-0 win at Hibernian last Sunday.
“This season looking at Lustig, I thought his time at Celtic was coming to an end,” Wilson told The Scottish Sun.
“When he comes up against quicker, mobile wingers, I wouldn’t say he was struggling, but he doesn’t look like the same player he had been in previous years.
“It looked like Lustig’s days were numbered, and that was backed up by Jeremy Toljan coming in. But Neil Lennon loves Lustig, he brought him to Celtic, and then he played him again last Saturday at Hibs and he did well.”
Lustig indeed did do well at Easter Road, but Lennon’s teams selection on Saturday might be a big clue in to what the Lurgan-born manager is planning.
If he Lennon again snubs Toljan for the Swede in this weekend’s visit of Aberdeen then it’s safe to say that he rates him higher.
The more Lustig impresses from now until the end of the season, the more chance he has of earning a new deal.
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