In a recent report, The Daily Record has mentioned that Newcastle United are leading the chase to recruit Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer this summer. It is believed that the Magpies could face competition in the form of Norwich City in pursuit of the £10m rated Norwegian centre-half during this summer transfer period (via The Daily Record).
Ajer’s Solid Form In Scottish Football Last Season
The 23-year-old has experienced a long and grueling campaign at Celtic Park but could not help his team keep pace with Rangers in the race for the league title. Ajer appeared in 46 matches for the Glaswegian club last season, finding the back of the net twice and picking up four assists in multiple competitions.
The Norwegian sensation has given a good account of himself by averaging 1.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 3.4 clearances, 0.5 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in the Scottish Premiership last season. He has even been outstanding when distributing the ball in the opponent’s half, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 88.2% in the top tier of Scottish football (stats via whoscored).
Ajer is currently playing some of the best football of his young career, so the Magpies will do well to lure him to St. James’ Park in this off-season. At 23, he will only get better with each season, so Steve Bruce can expect to make the most out of his services if he can win the race of his signature.
What Will The Norwegian Centre-Half Bring To St. James’ Park?
Ajer is a moderately-paced defender who can use his towering 1.98m frame to outmuscle the opposition in the air and win some important headers for his team. He is a decent tackler of the ball and has got the hunger to earn possession back on the defensive end of the pitch.
The Norwegian defensive ace is proficient at playing his way out from the back, so he will give Newcastle boss Steve Bruce the opportunity to build some plays from defence. Ajer will bring plenty of bite and steel to the Magpies backline and could help them steer clear of the relegation zone in the 2021-22 Premier League campaign.
The Celtic star could go on to form a dominant defensive partnership with Jamaal Lascelles if Bruce can find a way to bring him on board before the start of the new campaign. Ajer has got just over a year left to run in his contract at Celtic Park, so Newcastle can hope to agree on a cut-price fee to land him this summer.
