Celtic defender Mikael Lustig hopes to extend his career well into his 30s after undergoing a long-awaited hip operation last year.
The 27-year-old Sweden international was out for four months after going under the knife and his rehabilitation was completed when he came on as a second-half substitute in the champions' 6-0 Scottish Premiership win over Inverness at Parkhead on Saturday.
Lustig, who expects to extend his contract which still has a year to run, was at the club's Lennoxtown training ground where he was helping publicise the sale of season tickets and he spoke optimistically about his future.
"I feel fine," he said. "I have been out for four months so there will be a little but stiffness but it will get better and better.
"I spoke to the doctor in Sweden after the 2012 Euros and he said if I wanted to play football when I was 33 or 34 then I needed to do it.
"There were a lot of games that I struggled to finish so hopefully that will be the end of that as well.
"It has been hard. I have never been out for more than two or three weeks before so four months is a long time.
"But we went out the World Cup (qualifiers) with Sweden, the Champions League was over and it was winter, so the timing was quite good and the boys were playing well with good results so that made it easier.
"It will be great if I can get one or two games more then after taking a vacation I will be 100 per cent fit for next season."
Asked if he expected to extend his stay at Celtic, Lustig, who signed from Norwegian side Rosenborg in 2011, said: "Yes, I really enjoy being here so yes.
"We have started talking so we will see what happens."
Lustig has watched not only main right-back rival Adam Matthews play during his absence, but Darnell Fisher, Efe Ambrose, John Herron and even skipper Scott Brown.
With a smile, the Swede said: "When Scott plays there you start to think but we have a few guys who have played there.
"Efe has played there as well so I think it is a strength that a lot of players can play there."
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