Norway coach Lars Lagerback has said that Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer could become an even better player “if he became a regular starter at a higher level” by seeking pastures new.
The 21-year-old – an eight-time Norwegian international joined the Hoops from F.C. Start in the summer of 2016 – made 45 appearances in all competitions last term, including 23 in the Scottish Premiership.
Speaking to The Scottish Sun, however, Lagerback said that he could develop faster as a player if he played at a “higher level”.
“I don’t think the Scottish League inhibits his development, but it’s fair to say if he became a regular starter at a higher level, it would probably speed it up,” the manager said.
“The harder the level you are at, the more you have to be on your toes. But to be fair, it’s about him being at a club where he gets playing time and Celtic do have Champions League matches every season so he is in a good environment.
“I think he takes less risks than he used to in his game, but that comes with experience.”
OPINION
It’s a fair point from Lagerback, but there are also reasons why the Norway coach is off the mark. The manager is right in saying that there are plenty of higher levels Ajer could go to at this moment in time, but at the age of 21, the defender has plenty of time to develop at Celtic and should not rush into deciding that his future lies elsewhere – if that will be the case at any point. The fact that he made 23 appearances in the Premiership last season tells you all you need to know about how he is developing at the Hoops. While he is not a regular starter – as Lagerback points out – he is still getting plenty of game time, and after putting in some of the performances he has this season, you would not bet against Neil Lennon including him in a similar amount of games – potentially more – next term. For now, Ajer needs to focus on his contributions with the national team, but there is no doubt that he is in a very good place as a player at this current moment.