Newly-promoted Brentford have confirmed the signing of Norway international Kristoffer Ajer from Celtic.
The defender has been attracting admiring glances from Premier League clubs for a number of years now, with both Manchester clubs, Leicester, Everton and Wolves credited with an interest in the 23-year-old.
Potential suitors for Ajer haven't been limited to these shore either, with European behemoths like Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund also said to be monitoring his performances.
Brentford's pursuit of Ajer began almost immediately after their promotion to the Premier League was confirmed, and the club have now taken to their official website to confirm they've got their man.
"Brentford have signed Norway international defender Kristoffer Ajer from Celtic for an undisclosed fee, subject to international clearance," the statement read.
"Kris, as he is known, completed a medical before signing a five-year contract. He will train with his team mates this week as the Bees count down to their first ever Premier League season."
The deal represents a massive coup for the Bees given the fierce competition they faced to secure his signature.
Brentford have wasted no time at all in looking to bolster their squad ahead of the 2021/22 season, with the signing of highly-rated Nigeria international Frank Onyeka recently confirmed.
Ajer and Onyeka's arrivals at Brentford are unlikely to be the last this summer, with Thomas Frank also reportedly keeping tabs on Arsenal's Reiss Nelson.
✍ Kris joins on a five-year deal from Celtic and becomes our second signing of the summer
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) July 21, 2021
Details ? https://t.co/ToSeLAG393 #BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/8incGl7gOc
The Bees will have to fight off competition from Crystal Palace and Brighton if they are to thrash out a deal for the youngster, while Olympiacos and several Bundesliga sides have also lodged their interest.
Despite having yet to make their debut in the Premier League, given the stellar names Brentford beat off to secure the signing of Ajer, you certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of them winning the race to sign Nelson.
Brentford's recruitment team have been one of the best in England in recent times, with director of recruitment Lee Dykes recently sitting down with 90min to provide an insightful interview on the club's scouting process.
Whether Ajer will be the latest in a long list of success stories at the club remains to be seen, but his time at Celtic has proved he's certainly got the talent to thrive in the Premier League.
Source: 90min
