Celtic have been handed a major boost in their bid to hold onto Kristoffer Ajer.
The Norway international has been linked with the likes of Leicester and Milan in recent times but despite interest from the latter now being confirmed, quotes from a former Hoops player should come as a mighty lift to not only Neil Lennon but also the supporters.
Speaking to The Daily Record, Vidar Riseth commented: "When the time comes for Kris to go, I think Celtic will be able to demand £20m – maybe even £30m. That’s the level we are talking about now."
"There are so many rumours around Kris but he is used to it. There is talk of AC Milan and I know they are really interested."
That may come as a blow to Lennon initially, but it was Riseth's further quotes that should be enough to delight everyone at Parkhead.
“I think he will stay at Celtic for now. Every time I speak to him he tells me he loves Celtic, he loves the town and the last time I spoke to him he said, ‘Why would I want to leave Celtic?’", he revealed.
If Ajer does indeed love Celtic as much as Riseth claims, he could well put pen to paper on a new deal and remain in Glasgow. At the moment, his terms expire in 2022.
GIVEMESPORT'S Matt Dawson says...
In this story, there are two positives. If Celtic do indeed sell Ajer then getting a fee of £20m-£30m for his services could do wonders for the transfer kitty and rebuilding the squad.
Though, if they don't lose him, they'll still have one of the best players they possess within their ranks.
Signed as a 17-year-old for a remarkably cheap price of £650,000, the profit they could make on the player will be quite something.
Though, holding onto him is also vitally important, especially if they want to win the SPFL for a tenth season on the trot.
Ajer has cemented himself as a key figure in Glasgow, playing a colossal 49 times this season, winning a colossal 3.3 aerial duels per match in the Europa League.
That number is impressive but it's his ability to be ruthless and technically efficient at the same time that's most eye-catching, possessing a pass success rate of 82.4% this season.