Mikael Lustig has dropped the biggest hint yet that his Celtic days are over and suggested that the club could have handled his exit better.
The defender has the offer of a new contract on the table but Celtic declined to take up the option on his previous contract to extend it by 12 months.
Neil Lennon has spoken regularly about his wish for Lustig to remain at Celtic but it sounds like that possibility has been lost.
Swedish website Antonbladet reports:
It could be handled in a different way, says the right back who now confirms the Malmö FF interest.
The last few weeks have been tough. Not on the plan but on the side. I am extremely proud of how I handled the situation. My closest and players and leaders know what has happened, says Lustig after the loss to Spain.
Confirms MFF interest
Are you disappointed with the club?
– The club for me is the fans – and the players who do the job and the leaders around. There I have nothing but good to say.
Disappointed at the club management?
– No comments.
You don’t stay in Celtic?
– You should never say never. I love that club and never thought I would feel such a love for a club. So I will never close that door.
But then they have to replace the club management first?
– Absolutely not. The only thing I said was that it could be handled differently; what has happened and what has been said.
Lustig has previously confirmed AIK’s interest in him. Now he does the same with Malmö FF.
– I know about Malmö’s interest.
Scott Sinclair was in a similar situation to Lustig with Celtic taking up the option to add another year on to his contract.
With Jermeny Toljan and Cristian Gamboa having already left the club Tony Ralston is the only right-back scheduled to report for pre-season training on Monday.
Celtic’s first pre-season friendly is on June 26 against Austrian side Pinkfeld with the first round of the Champions League qualifiers on July 9 or 10.