- Sweden central defender Carl Starfelt has left Celtic to join La Liga side Celta Vigo for an undisclosed fee.
The 28-year-old, a substitute in the Scottish Premiership opener last weekend, joined Celtic in July 2021 from Rubin Kazan for £4m.
He played 87 times for the club and won five domestic trophies including last season’s historic Treble.
Starfelt has signed a four-year deal with the Spanish club, who are managed by ex-Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez. - Also read: Celtics hand coach Udoka one-year suspension for ‘sexual misconduct’
Manager Brendan Rodgers said Starfelt, whose girlfriend Jacynta Galabadaarachchi joined Sporting Lisbon after leaving Celtic in the summer, was eager to move after the opening-day victory against Ross County.
He told BBC Sportsound last Saturday: “He’s a player we’d like to keep but if he doesn’t want to be here, we have to close the deal. That’s something that’ll develop next week.”
Celtic spent £4.3m on Polish centre back Maik Nawrocki in the summer but Rodgers said if Starfelt left he would need to recruit a replacement.
“There are certain conditions that have made him think he will be going to one of the top leagues, and economically it’s hard for us to compete on that side, and obviously his partner is no longer here,” Rodgers added on Saturday.
“Everyone at Celtic wishes Carl Starfelt every success in his future career,” said club statement confirming the player’s departure.
BBC/Jamiu Ogunshe
