With Brendan Rodgers returning to the club for a second stint, there is no doubt that Celtic will have some lofty ambitions for the season ahead.
The club have long dominated the domestic scene, winning 11 of the last 12 Scottish league titles and picking up a few domestic trebles along the way. Repeating those feats will be a minimum ask for the upcoming campaign, while improvements in the Champions League will also be required.
Some new signings will help in this regard, with Celtic having already brought in a number of players this summer.
Swedish defender Gustaf Lagerbielke is one of those, arriving from Elfsborg for a fee of around €3.5million. He is a highly rated prospect, with the 23-year old making his senior international debut earlier this year.
As it turns out, he has also based quite a bit of his game on a former Hoops star.
New Celtic signing reveals admiration for former Hoops star
Gustaf Lagerbielke was unveiled to the media earlier this year, where he was asked about players he had modelled his game on. He responded by revealing that former Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk is someone he has a huge admiration for.
🍀 "He is a huge inspiration"
New Celtic signing Gustaf Lagerbielke is excited to be following in the footsteps of Virgil van Dijk 👇 pic.twitter.com/AElM2VRLFf— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 17, 2023
I would describe myself as a player that loves to win, does everything for the team, can handle both short and long range passes, duels in the air, and hopefully scores a few goals...
Virgil van Dijk has been here before. He is a huge inspiration, also how he is outside of the pitch, he is very professional and keen to get better all the time.
On the pitch with his leadership, duelling, and passes, he is a really good player. I'm an extra fan with his Celtic history also.
Virgil van Dijk spent two seasons in Glasgow, winning a pair of league titles along the way. Of course, he has gone on to establish himself as one of the best defenders in world football after his moves to Southampton and then Liverpool.
If Gustaf Lagerbielke possesses even a fraction of the Dutchman's ability, Celtic will have brought in yet another gem.
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