Celtic FC are preparing a bid for Portland Timbers star Darlington Nagbe, according to a report in The Scottish Sun.
The Sun reported that the Timbers “are likely to demand at least” £3 million ($3.7 million) for Nagbe, but that the Scottish giants will meet that price.
Celtic hosted Nagbe in Glasgow last month for their Champions League clash against Barcelona amid reports that they were set to offer the Timbers up to $2.5 million for the 26-year-old US international.
The Sun reported on Wednesday that Nagbe is a “priority target” for Celtic and manager Brendan Rodgers.
Nagbe signed a contract extension with the Timbers in March that will reportedly keep him under the club’s control through the 2019 season. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 SuperDraft, Nagbe has 24 goals and 25 assists in 187 career regular-season appearances. He recorded one goal and five assists in 27 matches for the Timbers in 2016.
Born in Liberia but raised in the US, Nagbe has 10 caps with the USMNT. New US manager Bruce Arena has indicated that Nagbe is a part of his 2017 plans, despite the midfielder briefly falling out of favor with the US at the end of Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure.
