Celtic 'willing to sell' £3m summer signing as defender sent cryptic transfer message by Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has hinted that Celtic could look to sanction a January sale for central defender Gustaf Lagerbielke - with the Swedish international frozen out so far this season.

Lagerbielke - a £3million summer signing from IF Elfsborg in his homeland - was brought in alongside Maik Nawrocki as a long-term replacement for Carl Starfelt in August. However, the Feyenoord goal hero has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot and could now be moved on within six months of his arrival in Glasgow.

According to the Scottish Daily Mail, the Hoops are 'prepared to listen to offers' for the 23-year-old with the player's representatives on 'standby' to find him another club next month.

Three days after netting an injury-time winner against the Dutch outfit in their final Champions League group stage match, Lagerbielke was left out of the matchday squad once again for Saturday's 2-0 Premiership loss at home to Hearts.

And Rodgers dropped his strongest clue yet about the 6ft4' defender's future after being quizzed about offloading players and those who don't fit into his squad. He admitted: "Well, we shall see. Gus came in and scored the winning goal during the week, so yeah I think what will take place in January will sort itself out.

"I think in the meantime the players are working very hard. I think you see with the introduction of Stephen Welsh and Gustaf that they come in and help the team and they can't do that if the spirit and their focus isn't right. That is a very pleasing aspect of the game the other night, even guys like Mikey Johnston. A lot of guys haven't featured early on but to win a Champions League game with all these factor I tip my hat to the players."

The sudden emergence of Liam Scales earlier this season as well as the returning Stephen Welsh has kept Lagerbielke and fellow recruit Nawrocki out of the team. The Swede is likely to be joined by Japanese flop Yuki Kobayashi in exiting the club this winter, while Nat Phillips is expected to return to Liverpool when his short-term loan deal expires.