Norwegian international midfielder Patrick Berg has claimed that he snubbed both Ajax and Celtic in favour of a move to Lens.
Berg, 23, was a part of Kjetil Knutsen’s outstanding Bodo/Glimt side that won two Eliteserien titles.
The likes of Philip Zinckernagel, Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Junker have all earned their big moves away from Bodo/Glimt.
Now it’s the turn of Berg and even left back Fredrik Andre Bjorkan, with the latter joining Hertha Berlin.
Berg has headed to France with Lens, and he made his Ligue 1 debut as a substitute against Rennes on Saturday.
In December, L’Equipe reported that Celtic and Ajax both tried to sign Berg for £3.7million – but he had picked Lens instead.
Berg has now claimed that rumour is true, with the Scottish Sun quoting him as saying that he felt Lens were a better fit for him than Celtic.
“Yes, Celtic and Ajax were both interested in me,” said Berg. “I had a good season with my club where we won the league and I was voted Player of the Year. But I felt Lens were the best option for me. When I heard of their interest, I made it clear they were the only club I wanted to move to. I felt ready to take the next step and I believed French football and Lens would suit my style very well.”
“I feel very welcome here. Since I arrived, it has felt like the perfect choice for me. I now hope to contribute to the victories of the team and to the development of the club. There are good young players at the club and I think this club has a bright future,” he added.
That may seem strange to some given that you would generally say Ajax and Celtic are much bigger than Lens.
Both Celtic and Ajax perennially challenge for trophies and league titles, whereas Lens are establishing themselves as a solid mid-table Ligue 1 side.
Maybe the key here was first-team football. Berg is likely to play a key role for Lens moving forward, especially if Seko Fofana leaves.
At Celtic or Ajax, Berg would have had more of a fight for playing time, which isn’t ideal after dominating in Norway.
Only time will tell whether Berg made the right decision, with eyes now on his progress in France.
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