Before leaving for Southampton in 2015, the Liverpool captain played for Celtic for two seasons.
The newest addition to Celtic has cited Virgil van Dijk, the captain of Liverpool, as his role model for success in Scotland.
Gustaf Lagerbielke signed a five-year contract with the Scottish champions on Wednesday, completing his transfer from Allsvenskan team Elfsborg to Glasgow.
And he has big goals, hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Dutch defender who, after joining the Hoops in 2013, spent just under two years there and won two Premiership titles and a League Cup.
The 23-year-old was brought in after fellow Swede Carl Starfelt left for Celta Vigo, and he has a large number of other countrymen to choose from if he wants more assurance that he can succeed at Celtic Park. These include players like club legend Henrik Larsson and defenders Mikael Lustig and Johan Mjallby, both of whom have won multiple league titles.
Given how well his people had acclimated to life in Scotland, Lagerbielke acknowledged that the Swedish link had a role in his decision to join Celtic.
Lagerbielke, an aspiring defender, looked up to Van Dijk, who has won the English Premier League and the Champions during his time at Anfield.
On Thursday, he told the media that veteran player Virgil van Dijk was a great inspiration.
In addition, he is exceedingly professional and driven to continually improve off the field. He is a really good player on the field as well, with his leadership, battling, and passing skills.
“He is an inspiration” since he “was a great player for Celtic and did a lot of good things.”
He was a fantastic player for Celtic and accomplished a lot, therefore he serves as an example.
In the group of center defenders for Brendan Rodgers, Lagerbielke is joined by Cameron Carter-Vickers, Stephen Welsh, Yuki Kobayashi, and summer acquisition Maik Nawrocki.
He responded, “I would describe myself as a player who loves to win, who does everything for the team,” when asked to explain himself to Celtic fans. I’m adept at handling both short- and long-range passes, skilled in aerial duels, and I can perhaps net a few goals.
Lagerbielke, who earned his first cap for Sweden earlier this year, is resolute in his pursuit of professional success.
I spend a lot of time and work optimizing how I am on the field, including my sleep, diet, and other factors, he said.
“If you’re a football player and your life is going well, you play better on the field.
“Now that it is the whole package, your goal is to perform at your best on the field.
“In my previous teams, I took on a lot of responsibility for my own professional growth and investment.”
