Twente Enschede has confirmed that financial limitations prevented the Dutch club from including a purchase option in their loan agreement for Celtic’s Swedish defender Gustaf Lagerbielke.
The Swedish international has joined Twente on loan until the end of the season after Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made it clear that the 24-year-old was not part of his immediate first-team plans.
The unusual nature of the deal, with no option to buy, means that Lagerbielke will return to Celtic at the end of the season with three years remaining on his contract in Glasgow.
Financial Hurdles and Strategic Choices
As reported by the Glasgow Times, Twente’s sporting director, Arnold Bruggink, acknowledged that while they would have preferred to secure a permanent transfer, the club’s financial realities made this impossible. “We knew there would be no option to buy with Gustaf in advance,” Bruggink revealed.
“Of course, you would prefer to have your own players, but we also have our own younger guys in his position, who can still grow next year.”
Bruggink emphasised the importance of acting decisively when they identified Lagerbielke as the right fit for the team, especially after the departure of Robin Pröpper to theRangers.
“We had Gustaf in our sights for a while. You look for profiles, and when Robin Pröpper left for (the)Rangers, we wanted to get a defender who could play in his position. But getting a one-on-one replacement was not possible,” he explained.
Lagerbielke: The Right Fit for Twente’s Style
Despite the financial constraints, Bruggink is confident that Lagerbielke is well-suited to Twente’s style of play. He praised the defender’s versatility and experience, highlighting his ability to adapt quickly and play on either side of the central defence.
“We were looking for a defender who has something different than the others. I was looking for a stable player, someone who can easily adapt in a short period of time and who also has a bit more experience. We found that person in Gustaf,” Bruggink explained.
Lagerbielke, who made a name for himself as a footballing defender at Elfsborg and earned two caps for Sweden, now faces the challenge of proving himself in Dutch football. Bruggink believes he is up to the task, stating, “We think he is very suitable for our style of football.”
As Lagerbielke settles into his new surroundings, Twente will be hoping that the Swedish defender can make a significant impact during his loan spell, even without the possibility of a permanent move at the end of the season.
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