Mikael Lustig is reportedly out of contract at Celtic at the end of the season, but the Hoops could extend those terms by 12 months.
Celtic have taken another big step towards a Scottish Premiership title win that they already looked destined to secure at a canter with their dramatic victory in Sunday’s Old Firm game.
It was not an easy afternoon for Neil Lennon’s men. Rangers produced a superb fightback in the second-half considering they were a man down, and the Hoops had to see out the final minutes of the game with 10 men after using all of their substitutes and losing Dedryck Boyata to injury.
The Belgian’s departure from the game saw Mikael Lustig move into the middle having spent much of the game in his favoured position of right-back ahead of Jeremy Toljan.
It was another decent performance from the Swede, who appears to have enjoyed a boost in confidence following Neil Lennon’s return as manager.
And, while it may not have been a display that captured the headlines, perhaps it was the kind of performance that should convince the Hoops to trigger the 12-month extension in the 32-year-old’s contract.
As things stand, Lustig is set to leave the Bhoys at the end of the season. But the Daily Record reports that Celtic could decide to keep him for another year.
Whether he stays or not, Celtic need to target signing a new right-back this summer. Lustig is not the long-term answer, but his successor is not emerging either.
But what Lustig did prove on Sunday is that he can still contribute on the bigger stages. That makes him the kind of player that Lennon, or whoever the manager is next season, should want in his squad.
Ideally, Celtic will sign a new first-choice right-back ahead of the next campaign. But Lustig showed that he is a player that needs to be held onto to have amongst the squad for one more year at least.
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