Rafael Nel of Sporting CP (L) tries to pass trough Maik Nawrocki of Celtic FC (R) during the Sporting CP v Celtic FC Pre-Season Friendly match at Estadio Algarve on July 14, 2026 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues Getty Images)
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Maik Nawrocki has ended his three year spell as a Celtic player, signing for French Ligue 1 runners up Lens for an as of yet undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £2.5m.
The centre back signed from Legia Warsaw back in the summer of 2023, for a reported fee of £4.3 million, made just 18 appearances for the club in that period, mainly due to injury, and simply not being fancied by Brendan Rodgers or more recently Martin O’Neill.
The Pole was brought to the club along with fellow centre back Gustaf Lagerbielke in the summer of 2023, just when Brendan had agreed to take charge for a second spell, and both found themselves very much surplus to requirements in the eyes of the Irishman.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that both players were ‘club signings’ signed over Brendan’s head, and it showed as both where rarely used in the first team or totally omitted from the first team squad altogether.
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Even more peculiar, was that both looked fairly decent when handed an opportunity, but still, both were cast aside with Lagerbielke sent for a loan spell in The Netherlands with FC Twente, before ultimately signing a permanent deal with Portuguese top flight side Braga.
The Swede is now flourishing in Portugal, helping Braga to a fourth place finish in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, whilst impressing on the European stage as the Os Arcebispos reached the last four of the competition.
This form helped 15 times capped Lagerbielke earn a place in Sweden’s World Cup squad alongside current Celtic star Benjamin Nygren.
Nawrocki who had a successful loan spell German second tier side Hannover 96, has now won a move Lens who will compete in the upcoming Champions League after finishing second in Ligue 1 behind reigning European champions PSG.
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It remains a mystery as to why these two players were bizarrely cast aside at Celtic. Brendan Rodgers wanted pace and strength at the centre of his defence and brought through Liam Scales who looked set to join Aberdeen in a £500k move, relied of Cameron Carter-Vickers and signed Auston Trusty from the Premier League.
Celtic FC coach Brendan Rodgers looks on before the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Atalanta BC and Celtic FC at Stadio di Bergamo on October 23, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Ultimately the £20m plus spent by Celtic in the summer 2023 transfer window – with much of the business being done ahead of the new manager coming in towards the end of June, didn’t achieve the desired outcome with only Yang making a long term fist of it at Celtic under successive managers.
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Who was it that headed up the recruitment that summer? Answers on a postcard…
Oh and best of luck to Maik Nawrocki at Lens.
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