In-demand Brondby star Mathias Kvistgaarden has spoken out for the first time since a January transfer move to Celtic failed to get the green light.
The Scottish champions were involved in a winter window striker scramble following the departure of Kyogo for Stade Rennes – but the deadline passed with the Adam Idah and Johnny Kenny left as Brendan Rodgers options to lead the line with in-form Daizen Maeda also able to offer cover. Kvistgaarden was on the Celtic wishlist with Brondby revealing they knocked back deadline day bids from the Premiership leaders.
Football director Benjamin Schmedes hinted that the Dane had to be convinced to stay with the club until the end of the campaign with a £14million price tag placed on the 22-year-old last month. Following the end of the winter break, the Danish Superliga season got back underway with Brondby seeing off Viborg 4-1 – and Kvistgaarden getting in on the scoring action.
After taking his tally to 11 league goals this season the frontman spoke to the press for the first time since the move was taken off the table. Kvistgaarden told Viaplay: “I think we showed the aggressiveness we want to play with. There were periods in the first half where it could have been better. We have to look at that.
“But a quick goal in both halves we should be incredibly happy about. I am happy here and to score so quickly after the league started.”
Former Hibs star Francis Dickoh – who now works as a pundit for Viaplay – insisted Brondby had shown their “ambition” by standing firm on their asking price for Kvistgaarden as they look to claim the Danish title: “It means that you have a goalscorer. A guarantee of goals in your squad.
“And as long as he is injury-free, you also have him in your starting eleven. Especially today I think it is really cool of Frederik Birk (manager) that he has Kvistgaarden in the starting lineup.
“So the fact that Kvistgaarden is still in Brondby in the spring, it can actually be worth its weight in gold. It shows they have ambitions.”