Opinion: Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer would thrive at Southampton under Ralph Hasenhuttl

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The £1.8m-valued Hoops ace has been dubbed ‘Celtic’s number one defender’ by Bhoys legend John Hartson.

Having struck gold previously in signing Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk, Southampton ought to take a look at another impressive Hoops defender this summer, namely Kristoffer Ajer.

The Saints have come in leaps and bounds since Ralph Hasenhuttl took the reins in December last year, getting the team over the line in terms of Premier League safety.

However, the off-season will be crucial in terms of bolstering the ranks, with the manager himself having admitted that players need to be brought in (official Southampton website).

In conversation with Sky Sports, Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier outlined the centre-back position as a key area to strengthen, with an eye also on the right-back position.

“Where do we start? I would say they need to strengthen in the centre-back department and like most teams they need a goalscorer,” he wrote. “Perhaps we could do with a couple in the right-back area as we will lose Cedric Soares this summer.”

Having signed in July 2016 during Ronny Deila’s tenure at Celtic, Ajer made a slow start to life at Parkhead but has since developed into an outstanding player, making 43 appearances in all competitions this term (Transfermarkt).

The 21-year-old – valued at £1.8million by Transfermarkt though he would likely be given a higher price tag by Celtic in case of any interest – has been described by Bhoys legend John Hartson as the club’s number one defender (Glasgow Evening Times).

Ajer – whose main position is centre-back but can also play at right-back – himself does not like being compared to Van Dijk and has stressed that he is happy at Celtic (The Scotsman), so this is where Southampton would have to put in the hard work to try to turn his head.

How could the Saints sell the club to him? Perhaps by highlighting how Hasenhuttl is a brilliant coach and man-manager who is building a young and vibrant team which has a very bright future ahead.

And while he may not like comparisons to Van Dijk and could well loathe the idea of following the same career trajectory, there is no doubt that Ajer is destined for great things, and Southampton have a track record in propelling players to greatness.