Where are Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki?
That’s a question Chris Sutton wants the answer to as the duo were absent for Celtic once again on Boxing Day.
Brendan Rodgers’ side recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Dundee, with Liam Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers starting at the heart of Celtic’s defence.
When Cameron Carter-Vickers left the field after a knock in the second half, he was replaced by Stephen Welsh.
That led to Chris Sutton questioning where are Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki. Two players who were brought to the club in the summer.
The former striker thinks it’s a clear sign that ‘they aren’t in Brendan’s plans’, as he told Sky Sports Football (26/12/23 at 4:40 pm).
Maik Nawrocki was injured at the start of the season, but he has been fit for a while now and only played 157 minutes in the Scottish Premiership, whilst Gustaf Lagerbielke’s last appearance was scoring the winner in the Champions League.
Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke’s absence
“You see the Scales and Welsh partnership for Celtic,” said Sutton. “I suppose there will be some Celtic fans out there thinking ‘where are Lagerbielke and Nawrocki?’
“Where are they?” asked Sutton himself.
“Mostly nowhere to be seen,” responded the Sky commentator Ian Crocker. “But Lagerbielke did come out with good effect against Feyenoord. It’s going to be an interesting January, on the transfer front, to say the least, for Brendan Rodgers.”
Sutton added: “The fact that they aren’t here. I don’t think they are carrying any injuries. It suggests they aren’t in Brendan’s plans right now.”
Celtic’s centre-backs
Who would have thought six months ago that Scales would become a key player for the club at the back?
Injuries opened that door for him and he has taken it with both hands.
But if Lagerbielke and Nawrocki are to leave, then it’s not a good look on the recruitment team because that’s a fair bit of money wasted.
Not forgetting that the loan deal for Nat Phillips, who will return to Liverpool in January, has been far worse.
You would imagine Rodgers wants his own players coming in January and perhaps the absence of the above two players is a signal to the board.
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