Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke named Sweden defender of the season 

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Celtic centre-back Gustaf Lagerbielke has been named Sweden’s defender of the season for his performances for Elfsborg.

Lagerbielke joined Celtic in August from Elfsborg for a reported £3 million on a five-year deal.

The Swedish defender has made seven appearances for Celtic this season, but due to the surprising form of Liam Scales, Lagerbielke has found his game time limited, especially with Cameron Carter-Vickers returning from injury.

Scales and Carter-Vickers have formed a formidable partnership since first starting together on October 7th against Kilmarnock in a 3-1 win. Lagerbielke on the other hand has not even made the bench in the Scottish Premiership since that game.

Lagerbielke was given first-team opportunities before that win, playing in all of Celtic’s first five league matches. Unfortunately, he failed to impress, making errors against Rangers in rotating possession from the back despite winning 1-0. Additionally, against Feyenoord in the Champions League, he was sent off for a foul on Igor Paixao, giving the Dutch champions a penalty and ultimately ending any chances of a Hoops victory.

The signing of Nat Phillips on loan from Liverpool until January has also meant that the Englishman has jumped ahead of Lagerbielke in the pecking order. Early in the season, Lagerbielke was given faith by Rodgers amidst a centre-back injury crisis, but this did not pay off. A 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in the League Cup highlighted for all to see that Lagerbielke is still developing as a defender at only 23 years old.

Lagerbielke’s recognition in his homeland for his performances for Elfsborg does show that he has promise, but he has yet to embody this at Celtic. With the Hoops currently possessing seven centre-backs, Lagerbielke faces stiff competition to be named in squads.

The Swedish centre-back has shown his potential on the international stage despite limited game time, netting for Sweden last month in a 3-1 win over Moldova and playing the full 90 minutes.

Lagerbielke clearly has something about him as a player, winning awards and playing for his national team. Given more time to adapt to life at Celtic, he will undoubtedly be part of the future of the club. A loan spell away from Celtic could help Lagerbielke mature as a player, with Kristoffer Ajer facing a similar situation when he joined the Hoops in 2016. Ajer’s loan spell at Kilmarnock proved vital in becoming adapted to Scottish football, and he went on to become a starter for the Bhoys for four years until his move to Brentford in 2021.