Kristoffer Ajer is ready to repay his mentors and show that he is worthy of a top team place at Celtic.
The Norwegian youngster made a rare start in Saturday’s friendly defeat against Lyon and loved getting an hour of action on the big stage.
A year ago Brendan Rodgers decided to convert the former IK Start skipper from midfield to central defence but the competition in that area was just as tough as it was for a midfield place.
Rodgers rotated between Jozo Simunovic, Erik Sviatchenko and Dedryck Boyata during the second part of the season and had Kolo Toure and Eoghan O’Connell to call on for the Champions League qualifiers.
A crash course in the Scottish game on loan at Kilmarnock has toughened Ajer up with Boyata’s injury promoting him to third in line for a place in central defence.
“The other centre-halves at Celtic were really good with me,” he told The Sun about his first six months at Celtic. “The advice they gave me was outstanding. Kolo Toure was a massive help, as was Erik.
“We speak the same language really and it was easy to learn from Erik. I took a lot from guys like that.
“We are close as a group and I was really disappointed that Dedryck was injured, as he did so well last season.
“I had to work on everything about the position as I had never played there before I came to Scotland.
“I did that and now I feel a lot more comfortable there and in control.”
With the Linfield tie virtually tied up Ajer is likely to get a run at some stage, if it’s Rosenborg that Celtic face in the third round they could call on the young defender for the inside track on the Norwegian champions.
