Better for both parties that Lustig moved on

Modest understatement: we got our money’s worth for the wages paid to Mikael Lustig, who confirmed last night he had left Celtic.  He joined from Rosenborg in January 2012 on a free transfer and leaves on a free, winning all eight league titles, four Scottish Cups and four League Cups in the intervening period, becoming one of our most decorated players in the process.

In 2013, Mikael had surgery to shave bone from both hips.  It is remarkable that his career at the top lasted this long, but, perhaps as a consequence of changes to his physical mechanics, he has suffered regular injuries since.  At 32, so the story is not over, there will be a place in the game for him, just not at the level Celtic aspire to.

Football clubs have a tendency to keep favourite players beyond their peak years, when they are running as much on reputation as ability.  Had Mikael stayed, it would be either for this reason, or because we were not going to recruit a replacement.  It is better for both parties that they moved on.