KRISTOFFER AJER is another man destined to leave the club this summer. The Hoops defender has one year remaining on his deal at the club and will look to move on after the campaign is over.
The Norweigan has been part of a team that has dominated Scottish football but he’s also been part of the capitulation this season.
Not many will point the finger at Ajer for not putting in the effort even though he might have wanted a move away before now.
Like many in the squad now, there’s an acceptance that Ajer will move on. WHat’s up for debate is where he goes and for how much.
According to John McGarry of the Daily Mail, the defender’s preference at the moment is a move to Newcastle.
The Magpies are looking to strengthen their defence and Kristoffer has been linked with them in recent times.
Many Celtic fans think he could make a move to a club above Newcastle straight away but speaking to The Huddle Podcast, McGarry claimed out of the options in front of Ajer, Newcastle seems the most attractive.
“Kristoffer Ajer seems to be interesting Norwich and Newcastle, from what I gather, his preference would be to go to Newcastle because there’s more of a guarantee of first-team football there”
Speaking about selling Eddy, Christie and Ajer, McGarry mentioned that could very well mean a £30m transfer bounty for Celtic to spend on a rebuild.
“you could be looking closer to £30m, maybe more than that”
Kris made the move to Celtic after signing a pre-contract agreement back when Neil Lennon was in charge the first time around. He would never play under Neil during his first spell because, by the time the player came in, Neil Lennon had gone on his way.
His compatriot Ronny Deila was the man in charge but recognised Kris was not ready for the rigours of the Celtic squad. A loan move to Kilmarnock certainly helped him along, the midfielder turned defender becoming their player of the year in just four months.
Ajer’s indoctrination into the first-team squad was steady but he rose more and more to prominence under Brendan Rodgers.
The big Norweigan scored the winning penalty past his former teammate Craig Gordon in the quadruple treble final back in December.
It looks to be the last trophy he lifts in a Celtic jersey and perhaps the final one of his career if he goes to Newcastle.
