Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has shared that Carl Starfelt has been clear and honest regarding his personal situation and desire to leave the Bhoys all summer.
The Swedish defender is on the brink of a switch to Celta Vigo that should be made official by the end of this week.
There are a variety of factors at play here, not least Starfelt’s desire to be closer to his partner – the former Celtic FC Women star Jacynta, who has recently transferred to Sporting Lisbon.
And Rodgers has credited the central defender for being upfront with his intentions shortly after the manager arrived in the post.
The Bhoys boss said [Scottish Daily Mail 10/09 print edition, page 68]: “Carl’s clearly in a really strong relationship and we all make decisions based on relationships or family. If you look at the bigger picture of it, I’m pretty sure in life I’ve made decisions based on my family.
“He was very honest with me when I came in. We had a good sit down and chat about it. And I totally understand where he’s coming from. Sometimes in life you have to compromise. But if you’re in a place or a time when you don’t have to compromise then, if you can do something about it, then you may well do that.
“If they get the chance to move — not to a bigger club but to a more competitive league — and it’s better for them economically then naturally they are going to look at it. And then, aligned to that, is a relationship that Carl’s very, very happy in. It’s a short life, especially as a footballer, and we have to respect that.”
Rodgers has made other comments around the Starfelt transfer, suggesting that the natural cycle for these top talents at the club is probably around two to three years. This is what football is now outside of the elite leagues.
What Celtic must do is maximise a player’s value and negotiate a strong transfer, then reinvest as much of that as possible into a replacement or into other areas of the team.
Celtic ultimately can’t control how a player feels or shift their career ambitions, but the club can ensure it is in a strong position to capitalise on any change for the club’s long-term vision of improvement. Hopefully, that transpires here.
In other news, Brendan Rodgers shares good news about Celtic duo Alistair Johnston and Marco Tilio.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
