Celtic go into the final international break of the year on a happy note as they are back at the summit of the Scottish Premiership table. After an uncharacteristically slow start to the 2018/19 campaign, Brendan Rodgers’ men are finally gathering pace and reclaimed the top spot in the league while also having entered the finals of the Scottish League Cup. Furthermore, they kept their hopes of making it to the knockouts of the UEFA Europa League as well, beating RB Leipzig.
While things are resolving on the field for the Hoops, there are a few off-the-field matters that they need to look at before the end of the year. Celtic have a number of players who have less than a year left on their contracts, meaning they will be approached by non-Scottish clubs on a pre-contract agreement under the Bosman ruling if they do not sign a new deal before January 1st.
The list includes key players like captain Scott Brown, defensive mainstay Dedryck Boyata along with fringe players Cristian Gamboa, Scott Allan and veteran keeper Dorus de Vries.
Also amongst the names is seasoned campaigner Mikael Lustig. The versatile defender has been a mainstay in Rodgers’ side in the past couple of seasons and speaking of his current situation, he sounded confident about signing a new contract with Celtic and staying beyond the ongoing campaign.
“You can wonder as much as you want, but I have a contract with Celtic and I think I’ll play there next year too,” the 31-year-old told Swedish newspaper Expressen.
Going by his statements, Lustig seems to be keen on extending his stay at the Parkhead outfit, but should Celtic offer him a new deal?
The Swedish full-back has been with the Bhoys for over six years now, having joined the club back in January 2012 from Norwegian outfit Rosenborg BK. Lustig has gone on to make 254 appearances for the club during that period, scoring 19 goals and setting up 34 more.
In the process, he has gotten his hands on 7 Scottish Premiership titles, along with 3 Scottish Cups and 3 Scottish League Cups as well.
In the ongoing season, the 31-year-old has featured 22 times across all competitions, registering 3 assists. However, Lustig’s form this season has been a bit up and down, with the Swede being guilty of making several high-profile errors, leading to ire from some sections of the supporters.
Lustig might not be as consistent as he once was but there is no denying that he adds a lot of value to this team with his sheer volume of experience and his mental toughness. A strong presence on the field and in the dressing room, the 31-year-old can be a figurehead for the younger players in the squad.
With Cristian Gamboa’s contract also running out and Anthony Ralston’s career not shaping up, losing Lustig could leave the Hoops short on numbers at the right-back slot.
The Swede can also cover in the centre of the defence like he has done so many times over the past couple of seasons. His awareness and abilities on the ball also enable Rodgers to use a three-man defence with him as the right-sided centre-back and James Forrest in the wing-back role.
He may have been in patchy form this season but having been involved in Sweden’s World Cup campaign, the right-back was rushed back into action for the Hoops without a proper pre-season break and that could have played a part in his inconsistent displays. At 31, he still has a lot to offer for Celtic and that is why they should hand him a new contract at the earliest possible to ward off interest from elsewhere.
