Premier League Leicester City reportedly want Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer.
Brendan Rodgers can get a bit ahead of himself at times.
It took Joe Allen years to escape the misguided ‘Welsh Xavi’ tag Rodgers forced upon him during his formative years at Swansea City after all, admitting to the Liverpool Echo some years later that the moniker really didn’t do him any favours.
The former Liverpool and Celtic boss loves nothing more than to speak in gushing superlatives about a young player but as Allen will attest, sometimes Rodgers’ penchant for a catchy soundbite sometimes becomes little more than a distraction.
So Leicester City fans could be forgiven for feeling a little conflicted amid claims that Kristoffer Ajer, a defender Rodgers believes is destined for greatness, could be on his way to the King Power.
“I think he’ll go to the very highest level of the game. He’s a real leader for a young guy and he’s only going to get better and better,” Rodgers told the Sun of the rangy Norwegian a year ago.
“He’s a joy to work with – a good guy, a clever boy and his life’s devoted to football.”
The Sun reports that the £15 million-rated Ajer could reunite with Rodgers at Leicester after winning six trophies during his two seasons in the Celtic first team.
But while Joe Allen might have never evolved into Carmarthen-answer to Barcelona’s legendary number six, Rodgers might have a point about Ajer. A 6ft 5ins centre-half who is already a Celtic regular at the age of 21, Hoops fans will tell you that Ajer is the real deal.
Yet Rodgers should probably avoid the temptation to compare him with Franco Baresi, for now at least.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
