I was expecting a story to break on Saturday or Sunday morning, advising Odsonne Edouard’s contract negotiations had broken down and that he’d asked to leave in the summer.
I also anticipated it would be reported Callum McGregor had a gentleman’s agreement as part of his latest deal. That had a release clause had been inserted. I expected a story to come out advising us all that fee had been met by Brendan Rodgers and our playmaker was heading south to Leicester City as soon as the transfer window opened.
There’s still time of course, it’s only Thursday.
It’s what you come to expect in the days building up to a Glasgow Derby. There’s not a lot of consistency when it comes to press coverage of Celtic but in all my years there is always a story or five designed entirely to cause concern amongst the support and upset the dressing room equilibrium in the build up to the big game, especially one against Rangers or more in recent years, the Rangers
Now those two stories around French Eddy and Calmac may still be played out in the build-up to this weekend’s game. In fact my money would be on the Sundays running with the bad news on Edouard story. I’d be surprised if it’s not all written, edited and ready to go, maybe even approved by Jim Traynor himself.
Someone has gone early from the blocks with today’s revelation in Glasgow Times that Kris Ajer will be leaving Celtic this summer. They’ve gone off a bit half-cocked and they’re not the only one with both Scottish Sun and Daily Record also being right in there, as reported earlier today – Kris Off Brendan and why Ajer’s agent Tore Pedersen should do one – on The Celtic Star.
The Glasgow Times Writer Mark Hendry gleefully informs his readers that Celtic’s Norwegian Centre half already has his mind made up to head for the exit, or at least an agent Tore Pedersen has that is. Pederson had this to say when speaking to Sporten ie where the tabloids got the story from… https://www.sporten.com/celtic-ma-cashe-inn-pa-kristoffer-ajer/
“He does not extend with Celtic and will leave this summer,” Pedersen said.
“There are several clubs that are interested, but I can’t go into names anymore. There are many who have followed him for a long period of time.
“There are also clubs who would like to have him, but who can’t afford it. There is generally great interest in Kristoffer.”
According to the initial (now updated) article Kris Ajer’s contract is up in the summer (it has two more seasons to run) and Neil Lennon had been hoping to get Ajer signed up on a new deal.
We’re now expected to believe those negotiations have broken down and the likes of Leicester City – a standard link for any player who donned the Hoops while Brendan was in charge – or AC Milan and Sevilla – names sourced via a quick Google search for previous tenuous links to the player- are all in the hunt for our departing Centre half. Given the coronavirus crisis that is set to shutdown football for a signifiant period, it is perhaps less that top priority for clubs like AC Milan and Sevilla.
But old habits die hard. This is standard disruptive behaviour in the week building up to a Glasgow Derby. It’s especially going to be ramped up over the next few days, given just how far ‘the’ Rangers are trailing in our wake.
This is last chance saloon stuff. It is a deliberate plant. Probably via some low ‘level’ PR firm who have found a stooge on a Daily newspaper to do their dirty work for them.
And just in case anyone really is concerned at this nonsense. Kris Ajer signed a contract in 2018. That contract was for 4 years. Therefore it doesn’t expire until the summer of 2022. You’d think his agent would know that. You’d have expected a journalist to check.
If you need further clarification of that here’s Celtic’s own confirmation of that very contract. https://www.celticfc.net/news/14393
If you’re having eggs for lunch, take them the same way as this story and the others that will follow this week. With a pinch of salt.
It’s par for the course when it’s Derby week in Glasgow.
Niall J
Revealed – The Celtic Supporters behind the plane over Ibrox | The Celtic Star https://t.co/HOVd7pAhuz
— The Celtic Star Editor (@CelticStarMag) March 11, 2020
When David Murray banned Celtic fans from Ibrox | The Celtic Star https://t.co/wKuowATKLK
— The Celtic Star Editor (@CelticStarMag) March 11, 2020
Boozers, Celtic on the wrong end of Refereeing Controversies and the SFA | The Celtic Star https://t.co/eCDoOWYV83
— The Celtic Star Editor (@CelticStarMag) March 11, 2020
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