Neil Lennon is planning to overrule the Celtic board and offer Mikael Lustig a new deal at the club, according to Football Insider.
Swedish international, Lustig was expected to leave Celtic Park at the end of June with his current contract being left to expire by the Celtic board.
The reputable football outlet claims that Lennon will go against that and aim to keep the 6’2″ [Source: Transfermarkt] stopper at the club after admitting he was a big admirer of the experienced defender.
Lustig, 32, has been at Celtic since 2012, when he joined on a free from Rosenborg and has made 276 appearances, scoring 21 and assisting 40 goals since his arrival.
The Celtic board are reported to be open to the proposal, but only if the 75-cap international agrees to a lower wage in a new deal.
OPINION
There are two different ways that this potential new deal can be looked at by Celtic fans. One side will be delighted that the experience of Lustig could be set to stay at the club for at least another year as he knows exactly what to expect and what it takes to win silverware from his time at Celtic Park. On the other hand, at 32-years-old, Lustig could be slightly past it with a new, younger full-back possibly needed at the club to add some pace and freshness to the defence. In the modern game attacking full-backs are more indispensable than ever and a fresh defender with more pace and attacking skill could be the perfect addition to this dominant Celtic side. Kieran Tierney has been a revelation at the club and the introduction of another defender with similar qualities could make Neil Lennon’s side unplayable. With that being said, Lustig’s experience could also be vital in the tough times, on and off the pitch, so if Lennon can persuade the Swede to take the reported lower wage, it could be a pivotal move.