Report: Celtic actually received £17.5m for Kristoffer Ajer

By Euan Davidson

August 24, 2021

Celtic sold Kristoffer Ajer to Brentford for more than was initially suggested, according to the Daily Mail.

The Mail, writing about Ajer’s successful start to life in the Premier League, state that a £17.5m fee was paid for the Norwegian international. Initially, the deal was reported to be worth £13.5m plus add-ons [Sky Sports].

Interestingly, the Mail recognise a particular trait of Kristoffer Ajer’s. The young centre-half celebrates defensive actions as if they were goals at the other end. That’s winning him favour from Bees fans, after two consecutive clean sheets [WhoScored?].

Of course, one or two issues emerge here. Firstly, that Celtic did some excellent business for a player on the last year of his contract. Secondly, that one departure has all but bankrolled the club’s entire transfer expenditure this summer.

Kyogo Furuhashi arrived for c. £5m, Carl Starfelt for £4.5m [Daily Record] and Liel Abada for £3.5m [Sun]. Joe Hart was secured for £1m [Daily Mail], James McCarthy for free, and Urhoghide and Shaw were brought in for compensation fees. Josip Juranovic’s outrageously cheap £2.5/2.6m fee, included, we’re talking about around £17.5m all-in, before wages.

So, if Celtic did indeed land the reported fee for Ajer, it puts Celtic’s transfer budget in rude health. And that’s without talking about the other departures this summer.

Celtic are undoubtedly pulling off great moves this summer, including Kristoffer Ajer sale

Being entirely honest, I won’t be alone in wishing Ajer could’ve stayed at Celtic. Undoubtedly, he has his critics, but there’s a potential star defender there.

We saw that with our own eyes on several occasions.

However, with the signings that needed done this window, and Ajer’s contract situation, £17.5m really is very good business. It looks that way now, at least.

Consider also the money made on selling Hendry, Bayo and Shved, with surely more departures to come. Outgoings are as important for moulding a squad as incomings, and these were all wise moves.

It will ramp up the expectancy on the Celtic board, however. Knowing that there’s been lucrative sales will only have Hoops fans wondering if we can do more this window.

Clearly, the Bhoys’ hierarchy have been looking for value. On a number of occasions, we’ve been left frustrated by a perceived penny-pinching, but it’d be fair to say it’s a strategy that’s working so far.

Ajer’s sale has been an integral part of that. Also, it’s heartening to see the Norwegian contributing to a sturdy defence in the Premier League. Just like Kieran Tierney, another ex-Celtic defender has a chance to prove some Scottish Premiership doubters wrong.

Read more: Great news for Celtic-bound defender