Celtic defender 'no closer' to transfer despite European interest in international

Celtic's forgotten man Gustaf Lagerbielke is 'no closer' to an exit from the club despite rumoured interest from Italy, according to reports.

The Swedish international was a summer recruit from Allsvenskan side Elfsborg, joining the Scottish champions on a five-year-contract as a replacement for the departing Carl Starfelt but looked set for a quick departure after a difficult start to life in Scotland.

It was thought that a number of Serie A clubs were circling in order to take the Swede on a loan deal until the end of the season but reports have claimed that the interest in the centre back has 'cooled' to leave the 23-year-old with an uncertain future heading into the second half of the campaign.

Despite arriving with a good reputation, Lagerbielke has found himself behind Cameron Carter-Vickers and a transformed Liam Scales at the heart of defence while both Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh appear to the preferred back up for Brendan Rodgers when his first choice duo are unavailable. Fellow summer signing Nat Phillips has already departed the club after seeing his loan come to an end.

Despite interest in the centre-back cooling, Italian side Genoa could renew interest later in the window after they saw Romanian centre-half Radu Drăgușin depart the club for Tottenham Hotspur last week in a £20million deal that will see him link up with former Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou. According to Italian site TUTTO mercato, Lagerbielke has been identified as a possible replacement for Drăgușin.

Elsewhere, the Hoops are edging closer to a deal to sign Nicolas Kuhn from Rapid Vienna with the winger undergoing a medical in London this afternoon. The 24-year-old has been drafted in following with summer buy Marco Tilio still struggling to make an impression on the club and Daizen Maeda out of action with Japan at the Asian Cup.