Johan Mjallby backs Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer to emulate Liverpool hero Virgil van Dijk

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Celtic legend Johan Mjallby has backed current defender Kristoffer Ajer to emulate Virgil van Dijk in an interview with The Herald.

The Swede spent six years at Parkhead playing 144 games and scoring 13 goals for the Hoops.

A no-nonsense defender during his playing days, Mjallby knows a solid defender when he sees one.

Now at Liverpool, van Dijk featured in 76 matches for the Hoops in two years at the club.

Ajer will become Celtic’s number one defender next season when Filip Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata depart.

Mjallby believes Ajer is on track to follow in van Dijk’s footsteps.

He told The Herald: “He could definitely follow the same path as van Dijk if he stays. He’s got every chance.

“It’s important he improves his leadership qualities before contemplating moving to another league.

“Next season the path will be clearer for him. It’s a great chance for him to improve. He’ll have even more game time and he can put a stamp on the way he wants to play.”

Mjallby hasn’t been shy of making such a comparison to a player now seen as one of the world’s top central defenders.

He even believes Ajer might be better.

The ex-Hoops man continued: “Remember, Virgil was probably further ahead when we brought him in but when you see him play for Liverpool now with his leadership qualities, it took him a while, not football-wise because he was too good even when he was signed.

“It was more a case of him staying focus and it took him a while to get his leadership right.”

TBR Verdict

It’s a bold statement from Mjallby but a reasonably fair one at that.

The 20-year-old has played in 38 matches for Celtic this season and has got better with each game.

A Norwegian international, Ajer could well go on and have a similar career trajectory as that of van Dijk.

Of course, he will need to keep focused and the challenge first is to prove himself as Celtic’s number one central defender.

That should be a given next season, however, and his leadership qualities will become better.

Ajer could become one of the very best footballers in the world and at this stage, you wouldn’t back much against him not playing for a top European club at some stage in his career.