KRISTOFFER AJER says he expects Celtic to keep their promise to let him leave the club this summer, as the Norwegian claimed that his departure would be the best solution for all parties.

The defender, speaking while on international duty, says that the time has come for him to test himself in one of Europe’s top five leagues, having agreed to stay in Glasgow for an extra season in order to help the push for 10 in-a-row.

With that dream now over and his contract expiring at the end of next season, he is hoping that the club make good on their commitment to allow him to move on.

“I was promised I could leave last summer, but we then agreed I would stay to try and help club win 10 in a row” Ajer said.

“That was important to the club, but unfortunately we didn’t succeed. Now I'm expecting the club to keep its word. There is not a set fee agreed, but I expect them to find a solution.

“This won't come as a surprise to the club, they know what I want. I think it is important for them to sell me to get funds in order to help with a rebuild of the club.

“I hope my intentions are clear. I've been at the club for five years and given my all. I hope people will appreciate I want to give something back to the club and not go for a free.”

Despite his desire to move on, Ajer says that he has fallen in love with the club, and that his reasoning for leaving is more about the level of competition that he faces each week rather than any notion he is now bigger than Celtic.

“I don't feel I've outgrown Celtic,” he said. “Celtic is a huge club that require you to be at your best all the time. But I want to see how far I can get and for that I have to play in a better league. I think it's important for my development that I go to a higher level.

“I've trained really hard every single day and have achieved what I have today because I've put in the most work. Now I want to see how far I can get, and for that I think it's important to play in a top five league.

“Celtic is a fantastic club. From outside, it's difficult to understand how big the club is: playing in front of 60,000 spectators every weekend, walking around the streets and really feeling the atmosphere, it's been absolutely fantastic.

“I’ve really gotten to know Scottish people, they're incredibly warm and I have made close relationships here that have supported me through both ups and downs. Celtic has been a fantastic experience and is a club I owe extremely much to.

“When playing for Norway I've experienced that the quality of opposition has caught me by surprise at times, so I think it is important for the future that I get to a better league.

“But again, I have to must emphasise that I've become extremely fond of Celtic. I could have stayed for another six months and taken most of the transfer fee myself, but leaving now means I can give something back to a club that has meant so much me.”