Kris Ajer’s departure from Celtic moved a step closer today with the news that he had passed his medical at Brentford.
The defender has spent five seasons at Celtic, developing from a raw teenage midfielder into the club’s most accomplished and reliable central defender.
Leaving for Brentford seems to be some sort of issue for some Celtic fans but it isn’t the club that matters to Ajer it is the league. Playing in one of the five richest leagues was the goal for the player with Celtic getting a nice return on a player within a year of his contract expiring.
A year ago Brentford edged Celtic for the signing of Ivan Toney, the former Peterborough striker then scored the goals that took his new club into the EPL. Now they have the finances to sign one of the few Celtic players to emerge with credit from last season.
Newcastle, Norwich and Bayer Leverkusen have all been linked with Ajer since the season ended, with their emphasis on money-ball and analysis it seems that the EPL newcomers value Ajer higher than his other suitors.
BREAKING: Kristoffer Ajer has passed a medical at Brentford ahead of joining the Premier League club from Celtic in a £13.5m deal?
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) July 20, 2021
Ajer is a very good footballer. Defensive positioning can be found wanting (at times) and is often ciriticised for lacking bravery, but the boy can play and will undoubtedly move on from Brentford to bigger things.
— Andrew Murphy (@Murphdogg10) July 20, 2021
If ever there was an example of how money ruins football… Brentford seen as a step up. All the best to him ??
— Liam Greechan (@liamgreechan67) July 20, 2021
Best wishes big man . Scored the quadruple treble winning goal ???
— Hugh lynch ?????? (@Hughbhoy) July 20, 2021
£25m for him and wee right back ?
— Craig Scott (@fatneck1983) July 20, 2021
Massive loss for Celtic but can’t turn that kind of money down I am afraid
— MREMD???? (@MR_E_M_D) July 20, 2021
That’s actually good business. I hate that
— SuperSoviet? (@g3g101) July 20, 2021
Wish we got Toney before he went there. Celtic helped em build a good team?
Oh well.
One of our brightest leaves at 23yo. Still has a massive career ahead of him. He struggled with who he had next to him. But it’s too late to do anything with the nice money. midtjylland ahead
— ???n?t?o?n?i?o?? (@Daedalianthony) July 20, 2021