High praise for players under the age of 20 only comes so often. It’s the case especially when compared to other great defenders of today.
Kristoffer Ajer, along with most of the defense, have been in relatively decent form as of late. Celtic have done a nice job putting the loss to Hearts behind them by keeping opponents off the score board in their next four contests.
Ajer comes as an interesting prospect. The Norwegian came over from Eliteserien side Start in 2016 and was then loaned to Kilmarnock last season. As of this season, Ajer has made 12 appearances in all competitions for exactly 1,000 minutes.
The 19-year-old has 1 goal to his name with the Norway U-21 team. This season with the Bhoys, he’s picked up 2 yellow cards, but still remains very strong in the tackling department. Ajer is arguably one of the best defenders for the Hoops outside of Kieran Tierney.
The praise for Ajer was taken a step further after an impressive performance against Rangers. BBC pundit Pat Nevin compared Ajer to one of the best center backs in the Premier League at the moment in John Stones.
The Talking Baws website went on to note just how high of a comparison is for the young defender.
"It was while praising Ajer that Nevin made the comparison to Manchester City defender Stones, which is a bold claim considering the Englishman was a £47.5million signing for his team back in August last year.More from The Celtic BhoysCeltic handed fresh injury doubt before Feyenoord gameCeltic’s £40.7 million announcement should scare RangersBrendan Rodgers makes superb claim about returning Celtic playerBBC pundit makes sensational claim about Celtic hero KyogoKyogo Furuhashi sends clear message to Celtic doubters"
It’s an interesting set of praise to say the least, especially considering the amount of appearances Ajer has made in his career.
Stones is currently living up to the success with Manchester City at the moment, as they continue to smack EPL sides left and right. The English defender is a tackling machine for the best club in the world right now, and Ajer could certainly live up to that narrative.
Fans have to wonder how much playing time Kristoffer will get after the break? Celtic just brought in Marvin Compper from Leipzig, and many more signings in central defense should be expected. However, the likes of Erik Sviatchenko and Mikael Lustig have constantly been rumored with a move away from the Celts, creating space for Ajer to find regular minutes.
Ajer is signed until 2020, so it will be nice to see how much progression he can make in the next few year. Whether the young center back can be the next Stones is yet to be seen.
Next: Anthony Ralston signs deal with Celtic
Thoughts on Ajer’s performances this season? Does he have the potential to be the next Stones, or comparable to any great center back for that matter? Let us know in the comments below.