Premier League outfit Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a summer move for Celtic defender KristofferAjer. The interest of the Magpies in the 23-year-old player was confirmed by The Sun.

It was reported that Newcastle United scouts were on hand to run the rule over the player during the Old Firm Derby at the weekend. The Magpies are said to be pressing on with their plans to sign the player despite the fact that he was part of the Celtic squad that lost 4-1 to Rangers in that derby.

Ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd accused the Norwegian player of ‘ducking out the road’ for the second Rangers goal scored by Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos. Morelos scored to give his team the lead again after Frenchman Odsonne Edouard had equalised for Celtic. Rangers went on to score two more goals to win the game convincingly.

Ajer is expected to leave Celtic this summer with a year left on his contractand Newcastle United are keen on signing him.

Magpies boss Steve Bruce wants to add the Celtic player to his ranks at the end of the season and a bid of £8m would be enough to secure his transfer.

Ajer, 23, has 21 caps for Norway and he’s also a target for newly promoted Premier League club Norwich City. The Canaries will be in the Premier League next season and the aforementioned report claimed that the club’s sporting director Stuart Webber was at a recent Celtic game to watch the central defender personally.

Norwich City are expected to reinvest the potential £35m transfer fee from the sale of English right-back Max Aarons into their squad and Ajer could be one of the players that could sign for the club ahead of the new season in August.

Max Aarons is a transfer target for Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, while German club Borussia Dortmund also have an interest in the player. Norwich City can use the fee from his sale on the squad at the club.