Celtic move for Gustaf Lagerbielke confirmed as Elfsborg boss lifts lid on transfer talks

Elfsborg manager Stefan Andreasson has confirmed that Celtic are interested in signing defender Gustaf Lagerbielke.

Reports in Sweden claim that the Parkhead side have submitted a £3m offer for the 23-year-old centre-back, however, Andreasson insists that, while dialogue has taken place, no concrete negotiations have taken place as yet.

Celtic have targeted Lagerbielke as a potential replacement for the outgoing Carl Starfelt, who is expected to complete a move to Celta Vigo in the coming days, with Volendam's Xavier Mbuyamba also an option, according to reports.

Lagerbielke has been capped once by Sweden and is a 6ft 3in defender who has impressed in the Allsvenskan this season.

Celtic have made an approach for Elfsborg defender Gustaf Lagerbielke (left), pictured in action against Feyenoord in the UEFA Conference League in 2021.

Responding to a question about Celtic's interest in the star, Elfsborg boss Andreasson told fotbollskanalen: "We have had a dialogue in this case. There is an interest, yes. But we are not in a negotiation. Then the club must move from interest to acting powerfully concretely. We are not there right now.

"We have had concrete proposals for several of our players now. There is a lot of interest. The trade-off is, as always, in the summer window. We have managed to have healthy conversations with our players. The most important thing is the club and the situation we are in. We are always positive that players can go for the right price.

"Many players want to leave Sweden. So we have dialogues when there is a good time for it. Sometimes, when we don't think the bid is good enough, we might say no, and then it might take a while, and then something better might come along, and then players might still be happy.

We know roughly what it would mean for a transfer for some players. We have a dialogue with the players and their representatives. We have that with multiple players now. Partly with Gustaf, partly with several others. These are pleasant problems."