Italian duo ‘hope’ to strike late January loan deal for forgotten Celtic defender

Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke has very much been on the fringes of the first team squad and has played much less than fans would have expected after his arrival from IF Elfsborg in the summer.

Infact, the Swedish international has become something of a forgotten man in recent months and has played a combined total of just 27 minutes in the Scottish Premiership since the start of October.

Overall, Lagerbielke has made six league appearances this term with two of those coming from the subs bench. His only start in the cup competitions came in a 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock in the League Cup, while his one saving grace is his match-winning goal from the bench in the Champions League against Feyernoord.

The two-time Swedish international has struggled to adapt to the demands of Scottish Football so far and finds himself as the fourth choice central defender. 

This lack of first team football has prompted speculation about an early exit for the 23-year-old and it is widely reported that two Serie A clubs are pushing for a late January move.

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport claims that both Lecce and Genoa are keeping tabs on the defender as they aim to survive relegation in the top-flight.

Sky Sports back up these claims - adding that Leece are the frontrunners to sign the defender on loan-to-buy offer. Talks between the two clubs are thought to be progressing well - however, the one stumbling block could prove to be the player’s wage demands and it is thought that Roberto D'Aversa’s side would have to pay a large portion of his wages to facilitate the deal.

Leece are 14th in the table as it stands - just three points clear of the drop zone. Meanwhile, Genoa are having a slightly more steady season and are 11th in the league - 10 points clear of 18th place Cagliari.