Celtic fans were almost all in agreement that getting a £13.5m transfer fee from Brentford for Kris Ajer makes good sense.
A year ago there were suggestions of a £20m bid from AC Milan but after Celtic’s slump last season and the Norwegian entering the last 12 months of his contract it seems a very reasonable deal for all concerned.
In 2015 Virgil van Dijk went to Southampton for a similar fee- setting the template for Ajer to aspire to.
Celtic have been strongly linked with Carl Starfelt, there are never like for like comparisons but replacing a Norwegian defender with a Swedish one and putting around £8m into the transfer fund seems like smart business.
The timing however isn’t ideal, Celtic have to register with UEFA their squad for the Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland by 11pm tonight. Two players can be added by 11pm on Monday but if Ajer goes it means that Ange Postecoglou will face the Danes with an unproven central defensive partnership.
Contract issues have been hovering over Celtic for more than a year, if swift business can be conducted for Odsonne Edouard, Ryan Christie and Olivier Ntcham the recasting of the squad can be accelerated.
#BrentfordFC are close to signing #Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer for around £13.5m, in what will be a record deal for the Premier League club. Fee and structure of payments agreed
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) July 15, 2021
Now @CelticFC let’s get the others out who don’t want to be at the club & replace ASAP ?
— celtico jaime ??? (account ufficiale ) (@jaimelawson08) July 15, 2021
Athough it’s not that bargain considering Ajer’s contract with Celtic left only one year, this is very smart signing
— Chanyoung Lee ????????? (@ChanyoungLee03) July 15, 2021
Good business from the board for a change with only a year left on his contract a good defender on his day with decent potential but he’s not irreplaceable for Celtic!
— Kieran O’Boyle (@kieranoboyle77) July 15, 2021
If Celtic can bring in more centre backs then this isn’t bad. Ajer seemed like he loved the club but he makes a lot of mistakes defensively and clearly would prefer to be a deep lying midfielder than a defender. I don’t really want my centre back making runs, I want him defending
— GaryF (@Europe_MMA) July 15, 2021
Thank you Kris Ajer ?? pic.twitter.com/ysogrYTo4T
— Fitzy (@Fitzy_072) July 15, 2021
Biggest step down ever in football? Money has ruined the game.
Anyway, big man is a top player and will go on to bigger and better things. Hopefully with a healthy sell on clause
— ?? Barry Robson CSC ?? (@RatedRobson) July 15, 2021
All the best to Kris Ajer! His finest moment below! pic.twitter.com/hvDFdnYPEK
— Glasgow is Green Podcast??? (@gigpod) July 15, 2021
?? | Kristoffer Ajer
Bought for 500k, Sold for £15 million. £13.5 million upfront.
Worked hard to break into the side after a loan move to Kilmarnock, stayed on for our quest for 10IAR.
Wants to go and test himself in the premier league after 5 years service. All the best Kris pic.twitter.com/zjIg6aQLEZ— The Parkhead Faithful (@TheParkheadF) July 15, 2021
Ajer was a £20mil target for AC Milan-no disrespect to Brentford but he’s a top 6 defender. Good luck to them
— JohnnyBGood (@JohnnyB99652918) July 15, 2021
13.5 million for a player into his last year great bit of business best he goes and invest the money in players that want to be here ????
— John O Donnell (@JohnODo01710480) July 15, 2021
So ironic supported Brentford to get to the play offs thinking that this would free howie to come to Celtic and now Brentford signing one of our quadruple treble stars
— jack68 (@jackbhoy681) July 15, 2021
