Finding a replacement for ‘brilliant’ Lustig is priority

IN an ideal world, Neil Lennon would solve Celtic’s right-back conundrum by turning the clock back to 2011 and the day he snapped up Mikael Lustig on a free transfer from Rosenborg.

The acquisition of a 24-year-old full international was too good to pass up and the Swede held up his end of the deal by providing eight years of sterling service before his departure to Belgian club Gent last month.

His exit has now left Lennon searching for a new right-back, with centre-half Kristoffer Ajer having filled in for the 3-1 victory over FK Sarajevo in the first Champions League qualifier in midweek.

The Celtic manager said: ‘It is obvious we need a right-back. We are trying to get one in if we can negotiate the second leg on Wednesday.

‘We’ll try to get one or two players in for the second round because the squad still needs a bit of quality and depth. Mika was a free transfer from Rosenborg, so they are out there.

‘I spoke to Brendan (Rodgers) about it. He had been looking for a right-back to come in and challenge Mika for a couple of years but found it difficult to find the right one.

‘The window opens up as you go along but it is important to try to stay in the competition while you are at it.’

One of Rodgers’ targeted players, James Justin, has already been struck off the list after joining the former Parkhead boss at Leicester.

Justin’s Luton team-mate, Jack Stacey, has also been eliminated after moving to Bournemouth.

With a third target, George Baldock, set to see out the final year of his contract at Sheffield United, the feeling persists that Celtic might have benefited from hanging on to Lustig for another year.

Lennon had been keen to keep the 32-year-old but Celtic were unwilling to offer the security provided by Gent, who have handed him a three-year contract. ‘Mika is a brilliant player,’ said Lennon, ‘an international player who has played in World Cups, European Championships, the Champions League and has won Trebles.

‘He had a very special time here and you could see how much it meant to him — he was crushed when it ended.’

With Kieran Tierney recovering from a doublehernia operation and also the subject of sustained transfer interest from Arsenal, the acquisition of a new left-back was also a summer priority.

The purchase of Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo from Rapid Vienna has helped plug that gap and the Belgian slotted in well last week in Bosnia before succumbing to an ankle injury in the second half.

‘Boli should be fit for the second game,’ added Lennon.

‘I was delighted with him on Tuesday. He’s had four or five days working with us, then went straight into a highly-pressurised game and he handled it really well.’