Newcastle United are reportedly preparing a bargain deal to sign Kristoffer Ajer, according to the Daily Mail.

As per the news outlet, the Magpies are preparing to launch a bid of £8m for the Celtic defender, who only has one year left on his current deal with the Hoops and has been urged to leave Parkhead by Stale Solbakken, his international manager with Norway.

The Celts believe that Ajer is worth closer to £35m, but the 22-year-old will be able to talk to foreign clubs over a permanent transfer in the January window of 2022, meaning that the Bhoys face losing him for a mere fraction of what they had originally hoped to recoup.

Ajer has reportedly set his sights on a move to the Premier League, which will no doubt have alerted the Magpies, although there is also interest in signing him from Italy.

Newcastle have admired Ajer for a long time but must avoid being relegated from the top flight at the end of the current campaign to stand a realistic chance of securing his signature.

Newcastle must sign Ajer

If they do end up staying in the Premier League come the end of the season, the Tyneside club must try and sign Ajer at all costs. With a mammoth 6 foot 6 frame, the centre-back should have no problems at all coping with the physical and aerial demands of the English top flight.

He has received very high praise in the past, with former Toon ace Lee Clark claiming that he is an 'outstanding' player when asked about him earlier this month, while former Scottish Premiership winger Neil McCann likened him to footballing legend Cafu back in 2019, despite him primarily being a centre-back by trade.

Nonetheless, Newcastle should do all they can to sign Ajer in the summer, providing that they can preserve their Premier League status, of course.

In other news, find out takeover claim Lee Ryder has dropped on Mike Ashley here!