---
title: "Celtic: Kristoffer Ajer could miss the Hoops’ next two games with injury"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-kristoffer-ajer-could-miss-the-hoops-next-two-games-with-injury/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "SPFL News"
published: "2019-09-04T19:40:59Z"
modified: "2019-09-04T19:40:59Z"
---

# Celtic: Kristoffer Ajer could miss the Hoops’ next two games with injury

**Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer could miss the team’s next two matches after being forced to pull out of Norway’s squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers.**

[Herald Scotland](https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17877852.kris-ajer-doubtful-celtics-opening-europa-league-clash-rennes/) reported that the 21-year-old will definitely miss the Hoops’ next game against Hamilton in the Premiership and is also doubtful for their opening Europa League group match against Rennes.

According to [Herald Scotland](https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17877852.kris-ajer-doubtful-celtics-opening-europa-league-clash-rennes/), Ajer has been forced to rest for the next two weeks as he continues his recovery from the groin injury that he picked up in Celtic’s 4-1 win away to AIK last Thursday.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

Ajer has [operated as a centre-back for most of his career](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kristoffer-ajer/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/328658) but he has been predominantly used as a right-back so far this season, with [seven of his 11 appearances coming in that role](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kristoffer-ajer/leistungsdaten/spieler/328658).

He started [all but one of Celtic’s European games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kristoffer-ajer/leistungsdaten/spieler/328658) in recent weeks and had also [been in the starting line-up for every Premiership game](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kristoffer-ajer/leistungsdaten/spieler/328658) until [injury ruled him out of Sunday’s Old Firm win](https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-s-kristoffer-ajer-a-major-doubt-for-rangers-clash-but-odsonne-edouard-should-be-fit-1-4994096).

Ajer has won plenty of praise for the ease with which he has adapted to the right-back position, with Celtic manager Neil Lennon recently describing him as “[a great asset for this club](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/neil-lennon-praises-brilliant-celtic-16733914)” and “[a tremendous professional](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/neil-lennon-praises-brilliant-celtic-16733914)” with a desire to improve even further, as reported by [Football Scotland](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/neil-lennon-praises-brilliant-celtic-16733914).

John McGinley of [67hailhail.com](https://www.67hailhail.com/match/celtic-player-ratings-vs-hearts-h/) said that he was “[rapidly becoming the best right-back we’ve had for a number of years](https://www.67hailhail.com/match/celtic-player-ratings-vs-hearts-h/),” while [ReadCeltic.com](https://readceltic.com/2019/08/25/celtic-fans-praise-kristoffer-ajer-after-top-performance-against-hearts/) noted that numerous Hoops fans waxed lyrical about his performance against Hearts a couple of weeks ago.

Celtic added to their right-back options in the last few days with the [loan signing of Moritz Bauer](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49500292), who [debuted at Ibrox on Sunday](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11781/11800070/rangers-0-2-celtic-player-ratings-odsonne-edouard-shines-again-as-rangers-struggle), and the [permanent addition of Jeremie Frimpong](https://www.celticfc.net/news/16753).

However, 18-year-old Frimpong has [never played a competitive match at senior level](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jeremie-frimpong/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/484547), while Bauer was [frozen out of Stoke’s first team last season by Gary Rowett](https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-rowett-bauer-tweet-2033715) and made only [eight league appearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/103536/History/Moritz-Bauer).

Also, with an [85% passing success rate](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/321085/History/Kristoffer-Ajer) and an average of [2.7 successful aerial duels, four tackles and two interceptions per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/321085/History/Kristoffer-Ajer) in 2018/19, Ajer’s defensive statistics are notably higher than Bauer’s [79.9% passing accuracy](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/103536/History/Moritz-Bauer) and match averages of [1.4 successful aerial duels, one tackle and o.5 interceptions](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/103536/History/Moritz-Bauer).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Ajer’s absence through injury on Sunday was attenuated by the [return of Hatem Abd Elhamed to the side](https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/17875023.celtic-star-hatem-abd-elhamed-played-fracture-rangers-ten-days-without-training/), but the [Israel defender](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/hatem-abd-elhamed/profil/spieler/176990) is also a [converted right-back with more experience of playing centrally](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/hatem-abd-elhamed/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/176990).

Also, with Bauer’s statistics inferior to the Norway defender’s and Frimpong lacking in experience, Ajer’s absence deprives Celtic of a defensively solid and adaptable right-back option.

With Rennes [beginning their season with three wins out of four](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-stade-rennes/spielplandatum/verein/273), they could seek to exploit that part of Celtic’s line-up if the 21-year-old is ruled out of the group stage clash in two weeks’ time.

***Celtic fans, do you feel there is good enough defensive cover if Ajer misses the Europa League trip to Rennes? Let us know what you think by commenting below!***