Celtic underwent considerable change last summer, not least in the dugout, where Brendan Rodgers was appointed to replace Ange Postecoglou.
Evaluating the playing squad, Jota’s shock £25 million move to Al-Ittihad hit the headlines, bringing his iconic spell at Parkhead to an abrupt end.
Carl Starfelt was another unexpected departure at the beginning of the campaign, as the defender swapped the Scottish weather for La Liga outfit Celta Vigo.
In his time at Celtic, the 28-year-old made 87 appearances in all competitions, registering three goals and two assists alongside claiming five trophies along the way [Transfermarkt].
Since relocating to Spain, he has featured 25 times; however, Los Celestes find themselves five points above the relegation zone in what has turned out to be a disappointing campaign for Claudio Giraldez’s men.
Some will say the grass isn’t greener on the other side, though given that Starfelt is 28, the opportunity to play in a top-five league would always appeal to someone with no prior Celtic connections.
Carl Starfelt opens up on life after Celtic
Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers struck up a formidable partnership in defence for Celtic, which was rarely breached on domestic duty under Postecoglou.
At times this season, we have felt the void left by the Swede; however, Liam Scales has stepped into his shoes and given a good account of himself, enjoying an unexpected rise to prominence.
In an honest fashion, Starfelt has now given an honest account of what life after Celtic has been like for him and has admitted things haven’t all gone to plan.
He told Fotboll Direkt: “It has felt good for me, but I didn’t have any expectations when I arrived, but of course, we meet very good players every week in Spain, which develops you incredibly much. I am satisfied with my own season but I had hoped that it would go better for the team.
Starfelt later added on his hopes for the rest of the season: “There are nine games left, but it’s still only five points down; things can happen quickly in football… but really, I don’t think we should be down there at all, we have too good a team. So I hope we stay there and do better next season.”
Across the La Liga campaign, the former Rubin Kazan man has impressed for Celta Vigo, making around 6.1 clearances and 5.3 ball recoveries on league duty [Sofascore].
Nevertheless, his side appear to be in trouble when glancing at the table, and helping them evade relegation is likely to be the main objective between now and the end of the season.