Newcastle target Kristoffer Ajer says he will leave Celtic this summer

Nicholas Hughes

• Updated: 4 Jun 2021 13:54 BST
• 5 min read

Newcastle United target Kristoffer Ajer has confirmed that he will part ways with Celtic this summer.

The 23-year-old has made 115 Scottish Premier League appearances for the Hoops but said this transfer window will give him the opportunity for a new challenge.

“It is clear that something will happen this summer. It is the best for both parties,” he said to Norwegian outlet VG.

“In terms of which club, I do not want to go into anything. We’ll get to that later, but it’s a top five league I aim for.”

A 22-times capped Norway international, Ajer joined Celtic as a teenager from Kilmarnock in 2017, going on to win three league titles, three League Cups and two Scottish Cups.

A versatile player that brings great height, composure and ball-playing prowess to either the centre-back or No.6 position, Ajer will undoubtedly be on the radar of a host of European clubs.

Despite being so young, Ajer is in the brilliant position of having gained a wealth of experience in Scottish football, something he is very grateful for.

“I have gained good experience after playing almost 180 games for a top club like Celtic,” he said.

“I have experienced how football can be on good and bad days, so it has been a very good experience.”

How much would Celtic demand for Newcastle target Ajer?

But the Magpies are believed to be leading the race at the moment, with Steve Bruce keen to bring him to St. James’ Park to bolster their squad.

Despite being involved in a fight for survival for most of the season, Newcastle ended up finishing in 12th place in the Premier League, 17 points clear of the bottom three.

The club’s record transfer fee remains the £40 million shelled out for Joelinton in 2019. While Ajer is unlikely to fetch a sum quite that high, bringing him in could deplete a significant portion of the transfer budget in the summer.