Brendan Rodgers issues Celtic transfer update

Brendan Rodgers played it with a straight bat when he was asked about Celtic’s reported interest in Gustaf Lagerbielke.

Elfsborg coach Stefan Andreasson has admitted to dialogue between the two clubs but not negotiations for his central defender.

When Rodgers was asked on Saturday about Carl Starfelt’s expected move to Celta Vigo he admitted that a replacement would have to be brought in.

Lagerbielke seems to fit the bill, even having the same agent but until any deal is over the line it is unlikely that any Celtic manager will provide an update on how close a transfer is to completion.

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Nothing really to tell. There’s been various reports on various players. Clearly, when there’s a sign that we might lose a player, we have to look at other options to bring people in. We’ll announce it when the player is signed and sealed and speak more on it then.

Rodgers could have dismissed the speculation but Lagerbiekle fits in with the profile of Celtic’s recent signings, last month the hoops brought in Maik Nawrocki in a similar deal.

Elfsborg will be in no rush to lose a key defender but will have been anticipating interest in the 23-year-old with plans in place to bring in a replacement.

With the Swedish season starting in March Lagerbielke should arrive at Celtic match sharp and ready to compete with Nawrocki for a place alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Throughout Ange Postecoglou’s two years in charge he always went with the partnership of Carter-Vickers and Starfelt, while that brought stability it did cause problems when either was unavailable. Last season in the Champions League that partnership never played together.

While Carter-Vickers will clearly be the senior partner having two options at a similar standard will give Rodgers extra flexibility once the midweek fixtures kick in from mid September.

Liam Scales and Stephen Welsh were both involved in Celtic’s pre-season friendlies but tellingly they were posted missing from the matchday squad against Ross County.

One of them is likely to be retained as fourth choice central defender allowing the other to move out, on loan or on a permanent basis.

At the end of last season Ange Postecoglou was trying Yuki Kobayashi and Tomoki Iwata in central defence but Rodgers will be hoping that he doesn’t have to go that deeply into his squad in the season ahead.

MEANWHILE

Ismaila Soro’s proposed transfer to Valenciennes appears to have opened up a can of worms in the secretive world of agents.

Ben Chorley is at the centre of the issue, a former Arsenal youth team captain who turned up at the French Second Division side in June as Sporting Director after a brief spell in a similar role at Swindon Town.

The introduction of Sporting Directors should cut out a few layers in transfer business but it is being reported that with Soro’s move almost completed Chorley tried to bring an English based agent into proceedings.

Generally in international transfers agents will team up with one at each end of the deal with the commission split however they wish.

In Soro’s case it seems that his move from Celtic was being completed by an agent registered with the French Federation before it suddenly stalled close to completion at the Valenciennes end.

CLICK HERE for full Soro story.