Former Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko has said that Mikael Lustig will be gutted to leave the Hoops if he does indeed head out the exit door this summer.
The full back is out of contract at Parkhead this month and there is yet to be a deal agreed to see him extend his time in Glasgow, having played over 200 games during his career in the Hoops.
Sviatchenko, who played alongside the Swedish defender during his time at Celtic park, insists that Lustig will be feeling very disappointed to see his time with the Bhoys come to an end and that he will be remembered fondly by the fans.
He told the Scottish Sun: “Mikael has had an amazing period of success at Celtic. We were partners during Brendan Rodgers’ Invincible season which will live long in the memory of the players as well as the Celtic supporters.
“Mikael is one of many Scandinavians who have joined Celtic and just developed a love and affinity for the club. He won so many trophies but the Celtic fans will also remember Lustig fondly for his goal celebrations and sense of fun. If Mikael does call time on his Celtic career then he will do so with a heavy heart.
“Celtic is just a magical place to be and it is a great club to play football for.”
Opinion
As someone who has departed Celtic for pastures new, Sviatchenko knows exactly what he is talking about when it comes to Lustig and his feelings. He has been a loyal servant to the Hoops and continued to be Neil Lennon’s first choice until the final day of the 2018/19 season. If he does go, there will be plenty of disappointed faces among the Celtic Park faithful, who will know how difficult a task it will be to replace him in the starting XI. The player himself might well feel he has more to offer the Hoops and with 10 league titles in a row on the horizon, he would now doubt love to spend another two years in Glasgow to write his name into that particular piece of the club’s history. It remains to be seen whether the Bhoys will give him that chance – but they do not have long to make that particular decision.