Kristoffer Ajer’s agent recently dropped a bombshell by commenting (Daily Record)-, “He(Ajer) will not extend his contract with Celtic and will leave this summer. There are several clubs who are interested.”
However, Celtic boss Neil Lennon was having none of it as he tore down Tore Pedersen’s claims and insisted that Ajer’s future will be decided by the club and not by his agent or the player himself.
Lennon has his say on Ajer’s future
Lennon responded to Pedersen’s comment and said, “I’ve heard about the comments, and I’m aware of it. At the end of the day, the club will decide when players go, not agents or players themselves. Kris has never made any indication he wants to leave. He’s happy here; he has been playing very well, he has been very consistent. I think the agent has shot himself in the foot there. We have Kris tied down to a long-term contract so we’ll decide and not anyone else.”
This situation is not something new as agents are often trying to create a ruckus and pique interest in their client by making such comments. Celtic still have the Norwegian defender under contract until 2022. Lennon also revealed that Ajer has never given any indication about leaving Parkhead.
Why is Ajer replaceable though?
The likes of Leicester City have been linked with him in the past. Ajer has played a significant role for Celtic this season as he has racked up 49 appearances already this campaign. That shows how important and crucial he is in Lennon’s first team.
However, many would agree that Ajer isn’t exactly indispensable at the moment. The 21-year-old is a decent defender on his day, but he has a few errors in his game. Ajer stands out in terms of his ball-playing abilities and carrying the ball from the back. That is why he can even feature as a right-back when required, and Lennon has used him there in quite a few games this season. However, Ajer has an issue with losing concentration from time to time where he can be caught napping defensively.
However, there is enough time for him to improve as he is still just 21. If Celtic can get an offer worth £15-20m for Ajer, then we think that they can surely consider selling him in the future. As mentioned, Ajer might be a decent defender, but he has mistakes in his game. We believe Celtic could easily go on to replace him in the transfer market. But, Lennon seems to be a fan of the defender after he didn’t mince any words while responding to the agent’s claims.
