Newcastle United are thought to be closing in on signing Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer.
The Lowdown: Newcastle’s previous interest
Ajer was first linked with a move to St James’ Park back in March, with the 23-year-old setting his sights on a Premier League switch.
The towering defender was a regular for the Hoops during the 2020/21 season, making 46 appearances in all competitions.
Celtic signed Ajer for just £540,000 in 2016, and it seems they will make a big profit this summer.
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The Latest: Magpies close to landing Ajer
According to the Sunday Mirror (30/05, pg 76), the Norway international looks set to become Steve Bruce’s first signing of the summer window, with a deal reportedly costing Newcastle £6m.
The Magpies were thought to be advancing with an £8m offer earlier this month, despite the Hoops wanting double that, so this latest update does appear to be slightly low on the valuation.
Nonetheless, it seems as if Newcastle have managed to knock £2m off the fee, with Ajer having just over 12 months remaining on his Celtic contract, which is thought to be worth around £14,000-a-week.
The Verdict: Postecoglou to face an early problem?
Celtic are hoping to conclude a deal for Ange Postecoglou next week after talks with Eddie Howe collapsed on Friday, so the 55-year-old could be faced with an early problem as Hoops boss.
Should Ajer depart, Postecoglou would be left with Stephen Welsh as the club’s only recognised fit centre-back, with Christopher Jullien currently sidelined through injury.
The versatile Nir Bitton could fill in if required, but having a lack of central defensive options ahead of Champions League qualifiers in July may not be ideal.
Postecoglou will surely now identify a new centre-back as a key area to strengthen, so Hoops fans may well be in for a busy summer.
In other news: Celtic closing in on landing director of football, find out more here.
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