Celtic have been handed a significant boost in their pursuit of Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper claim that last season’s treble winners have had a bid worth £1.3million accepted for the 29-year-old winger, a player they have been chasing for a number of weeks.
A four-time Republic of Ireland international, Hayes took the Scottish top-flight by storm last season with 11 goals and 24 assists from 44 appearances in all competitions, as the Dons finished second in the league.
But Celtic have moved to silence the competition for silverware ahead of next season by stealing away one of their rivals’ most prized assets, having been handed an emphatic decision to their latest offer.
Championship outfit Cardiff City had also showed a strong interest in the player this summer, but cleared the way for Celtic to complete the deal when they withdrew their interest on Tuesday night.
Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock had admitted to BBC Wales Sport that he had grown tired of being ‘messed around’ by Aberdeen, and no longer wanted to pursue a deal for Hayes.
The reported agreement between Celtic and Aberdeen will also see Hoops midfielder Ryan Christie return to Pittodrie on a season-long loan in exchange.
Christie spent the second-half of last season at Aberdeen after seeing first-team opportunities limited under Brendan Rodgers, contributing seven goals and three assists during an impressive short-term stint.