I fully understand why Kris Ajer may be a little annoyed at how his expected transfer is being handled at present but in truth I don’t much care for now.
Celtic have been slow off the mark in getting transfer business done, that was always a possibility after we’d invested so heavily in an Eddie Howe vision only to see the rug pulled from under us. We have a Champions League qualifying process that already looks nigh on insurmountable and we don’t want that to seep into domestic ambitions.
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The problem Celtic have right now is we know Ajer wants to go and we know we’ll have to sell him but we also need players through the door. Sell Ajer now while negotiations are mid-stream. for as many as three first team players. and suddenly with £15 million rather publicly banked our quoted fees for new recruits’ head north by a hefty percentage. That is something we’ve been stung with before and if this is a stalling tactic from Celtic to get some initial business done then I welcome the club’s stance.
Kris Ajer in undoubtedly itching to move on, after all he stayed for a year longer than he was expecting already and he’s had assurances this time he can go, but I doubt any assurances were given for what stage of the window that would happen or for how much. That part is entirely Celtic’s gamble, and it is a gamble, however we have over six weeks of this transfer window to go.
For Ajer I’d be more tempted to pick up the phone to his agent and berate them as much as the club, something that appears to have happened going by the players recent disappointment making its way into the public domain. It is the job of the representative to find not only a club that want him but also one willing to pay the fee and on suitable payment terms for Celtic.
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I’m sure Leyton Orient would want Kris Ajer but the London club can’t afford him, so it’s no different for Brentford who historically will pay decent enough fees but stagger them over the course of a contract and weight deals with add-ons, they also historically don’t like sell on fees attached, although there were recent reports that Peterborough managed to get an incredible 30% sell-on clause in the deal that took Ivan Toney to Brentford last summer!
If Celtic’s highest bid has come from Brentford and that club wanted it spread over 5 years, the add-ons were viewed as ambitious and a sell on clause was hard to negotiate then the deal doesn’t suit Celtic. It seems Brentford quickly moved on, a well-run club has many targets lined up after all, and Celtic were happy to do so as well.
I get Ajer’s frustrations, Brentford have built an excellent reputation in developing players and selling them on for a big profit and Ajer may see that club as a route to a top end EPL side however for Celtic it may well be they want a sizeable chunk of a transfer fee up front, if Brentford don’t operate that way the conversation stops there. And if Celtic wish to wait until some of their own transfer business is done first that is our prerogative, we surely know the consequences if we get this wrong.
Celtic will be aware they are playing with a tough hand at the moment. Unhappy players as we saw with both Dedryck Boyata and Moussa Dembele can cause disruption even refuse to play, or at least pick up niggling knocks they just can’t train with. Note that both Ajer and Odsonne Edouard will be missing this evening against Bristol City with niggling knocks. What are the chances that either is ready for Tuesday night?
Add to that Celtic are operating in a market where they want to attract young players to the club. The majority of targets so far fit the bill of signing them young with an eye on resale value. To attract those players and sell them EPL or Bundesliga riches down the line, the players and their representatives have to trust that when the time comes Celtic won’t be difficult to deal with and the vision we sell them will be honoured. Does our current stance, allied to holding on to players last year and historic public spats with Dembele and Boyata, mean Celtic’s word may be worth less? It possibly does and it is another gamble Celtic are taking at the moment.
Kris Ajer however won’t be worried about any of that, he’ll be looking after number one and concerned he’ll end up staying for another year. That won’t happen. Kris Ajer will be leaving; however he and his representatives will need to show some patience and find a club willing to buy who meet Celtic’s stipulations. That will be easier when Celtic get bodies through the door. After that, with cover in place Celtic may be easier to deal with but they’ll still have a price and how they want a deal structured.
Given that, Ajer’s representatives would do well to find such a club and get the player with the apparent niggling injury available for selection for a European qualifier where could well attract further interest, indeed the toys out the pram approach may well put some clubs off.
Niall J
