Mohamed Elyounoussi has claimed that Celtic & Norway teammate Kris Ajer could break the £16 million pound transfer record that he made when he made the switch from Basel to Southampton in 2018.
The 25-year-old spoke to Norway TV2 ahead of the EURO 2020 double header versus Spain and Romania, as reported in the Scottish Sun, about his teammate Ajer and his move to Celtic.
“We’ll see how long we keep Kristoffer. He has been at Celtic for a couple of years and has done very well.
“I expect to see him in a bigger club and a bigger league.
“From what I’ve seen of him in the past and now on a daily basis in training and in combat, he is more than good enough for the Premier League.
“You shouldn’t be surprised if he goes there one day, and even beats my transfer record.”
These comments may have been lost in translation and some supporters have responded on Twitter suggesting that the winger should focus on improving
It's bordering on insanity everytime we question an article if it's even slightly deemed negative.
Elyounoussi, with these quotes, has disrespected our club, tbh, I've been disappointed with him so far anyway, Johnston, Arzani, Shved, Karamoko & Sinclair should all be ahead.
— CelticForever (@CelticMemeMan) October 9, 2019
Bit silly of Elyounoussi giving an interview to Norwegian TV saying he expects Ajer to join a Bigger Club in a Bigger League like the Premier league. The same player who had to leave the Premier league to get his career back on track 🤔🤔🤔
— Stephen Walsh 🇮🇪🍀 (@rebelcountybhoy) October 9, 2019
Elyounoussi stated that every game for Celtic is a challenge because they play as if it is a cup final, especially when Celtic fans expect victories.
“We only meet teams that play deep. I haven’t met one team that attacks us yet.
“Everyone tries to make it difficult for us, they try to counter and look at the matches against us like a cup final.
“It is not enough for us to win the match either, some goals must be scored as well. There are great demands.
“Football is a lot about self-confidence and the mental side. I lost a bit of that and I lost a bit of pleasure.
“That is why it was important to get away and try something new and recover the joy of expressing yourself on the football field.
“I’m allowed to do that here. Neil Lennon said he would bring me back where I was. That’s what I needed to hear, the choice was simple.”
It would appear that the Norwegian’s comments about Ajer come more from a desire for his teammate to succeed than a disrespect to the club.
This would be evident from the fact that he is thankful to Neil Lennon for giving him a route to enjoy his football again.
