Just as Gustaf Lagerbielke was all set to join Lecce, Sky Sport Italia expert Gianluca Di Marzio reports Celtic pulled the plug on the deal when paperwork was being exchanged.
It was going to be a loan move with option to buy at the end of the season and he was expected to fly in for a medical tomorrow.
However, this evening Di Marzio maintains Celtic got cold feet because they are concerned that first choice defender Cameron Carter-Vickers could be out injured for longer than previously believed.
It was truly last minute, as the contracts were being exchanged when Celtic slammed the brakes.
Lagerbielke was signed from Elfsborg in August 2023 for €3.4m, but found himself dropping down the pecking order and coach Brendan Rodgers seemed uninterested in keeping him in Glasgow.
The 23-year-old centre-back has two senior caps for Sweden, scoring one goal, and found the net in the Champions League for Celtic against Feyenoord this season.
He has just nine appearances for the club for a total 572 minutes of football.
#Lecce–#Lagerbielke, trattativa bloccata allo scambio dei documenti: il puntohttps://t.co/ClFE5pgio6
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) January 30, 2024