The 20-year-old defender was impressive against the Hoops’ Glasgow rivals last Sunday.
Celtic legend Davie Hay has singled out Kristoffer Ajer for his display in last Sunday’s Old Firm derby in the Scottish Premiership and expects more to come from the talented defender.
The Norway international has been at Parkhead since the age of 17, joining in 2016 from Start, and had a spell on loan at Kilmarnock in January 2017 for the remainder of that season.
Since then, Ajer has gone from strength to strength and, this season, he has been indispensable for Celtic, making 37 club appearances in all competitions, according to Transfermarkt.
Against Rangers, the 20-year-old put in a superb and full-blooded display, soldiering on despite suffering a head knock and making a goal-saving challenge in injury-time to deny Joe Worrall.
Hay, who played for Celtic between 1968 and 1974, as well as managing the Bhoys in the 1980s, was delighted with Ajer’s display against Gers, raving about several aspects of his game in the encounter.
“The one who stood out for me was Kristoffer Ajer and I’m so happy that he’s found consistency,” Hay wrote in the Evening Times. “I thought he was brilliant against Rangers. A defender’s first job is to defend. Ajer now knows that, which is something he had to learn.
“But I love the way he comes out from the back, with the ball at his feet and head in the air, looking to find a teammate with a pass. At only 20, there is a lot more to come from the Norwegian which excites me. And when tempers did flare, Ajer was in the middle of it, showing me has a bit of steel about him.”
Ajer, valued by Transfermarkt at £1.8million, followed up his display against Gers with an equally dominant performance in the midweek win over St Mirren, keeping both Duckens Nazon and Simeon Jackson at bay throughout the contest.
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