Premier League sides line up for the £50m Bhoy

THE natural first reaction is one of shocked disbelief. Fifty million pounds for a player — any player — currently plying his trade in Scotland? Can’t happen. Won’t happen. Something doesn’t add up. When Vidar Riseth puts that jawdropping price tag on compatriot Kristoffer Ajer, however, he’s not merely plucking figures from thin air. Like most Norwegians, former Celtic star Riseth is a keen student of England’s Premier League. Having watched defenders like Harry Maguire (£80million), Aymeric Laporte (£57m), Benjamin Mendy (£50m), Aaron WanBissaka (£50m) and even John Stones (£47m) consistently moving for everincreasing fees, he makes a strong argument for the madness of the market. Some English club is going to pay silly money for a centrehalf this summer. Why shouldn’t it be for a 22-year-old who, for all the criticism levelled at him during his formative years in the game, possesses all the tools required to excel on the biggest domestic stage of all? For what it’s worth, Riseth’s most recent conversation with Ajer (below) left him convinced that his young compatriot — already under contract until 2022 — actually wants to sign another new deal and commit himself to a longer tour of duty in Glasgow. However, the decision may be taken out of his hands now that a number of English top-flight sides have joined a long list of suitors padded out by interest from Spain and Italy — most notably AC Milan. Riseth told

Sportsmail: ‘If Celtic are going to sell Kristoffer Ajer, it will be for £50m, for sure. ‘Because the clubs in England are crazy at the moment, paying so much money for the best talent. ‘A Premier League club coming up to Scotland, I think it starts at £30m and goes up to £50m. ‘If he went to Italy or Germany, maybe he won’t get the same price. But look at the Premier League players who have cost their clubs that much — Kris is as good as them. ‘I also think the impression of Scottish football has grown, which means clubs in England will be willing to pay. ‘I remember everyone used to say: “Ah, Scottish football, it’s not so good”. ‘There was always the idea that good players in Scotland couldn’t make the switch to England’s top division. ‘But I go right back to Henrik Larsson. When he left Celtic and went to Barcelona, everybody said he wouldn’t play there. ‘Not only was he brilliant at Barca, he went to Manchester United and proved how good he was. ‘So Henrik Larsson opened the gates for other players like Virgil van Dijk. English clubs now know that there is talent there.’