Ajer Right

Kris Ajer on raising his game this season at both centre-half and right-back, with an inadvertent cameo from team-mate Ryan Christie

- Joe Donnelly

IN the summer of 2016, Kris Ajer arrived at Paradise from Norwegian outfit Start as a midfielder. Before long, he was moved further back and is now one of Celtic’s most commanding and capable central defenders.

This season so far, he’s slotted in at right-back on several occasions, and, judging by a string of Man of the Match-worthy performances in that role, has redefined himself once more.

The 21-year-old’s latest stint as a full-back was during last Sunday’s confident 3-1 home win over Hearts, where he shared the right flank with tireless team-mate, Ryan Christie. The two proved a constant threat throughout the match, and between them were instrumental in all three of Celtic’s table-topping goals.

This week, the Celtic View caught up with Ajer over the phone as the Norwegian departed training, and was treated to a brief and inadvertent cameo from off-pitch pal Christie, as the two shared the journey home.

Given how comfortable you’ve been at right-back this season, would you ever consider playing there permanently?

My most comfortable position is centre-half, but I will always play wherever I’m sent to play, and I’ll always do the best job that I can for the team. If that’s playing a few games here and there as a right-back, then that’s great. I’ve never played right-back before, but the gaffer and the backroom management staff have taught me a few things from a positional perspective. I think there’s something natural about playing there as well, when you’ve primarily played in central areas with full-backs around you. You have a good sense of where you like the full-backs to be when the centre-half has the ball, so I make it my duty to do that when I’m playing on the right.