Celtic are interested in a deal for Wigan midfielder Nick Powell and are willing to offer the 24-year-old a lucrative contract to secure his signature, according to The Sun.
The newspaper report that Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers is willing to strike a deal for Powell in January or next summer, with the attacking midfielder currently in the final year of his contract at the DW Stadium.
The Sun claim that Premier League side Brighton are also in the hunt for the former Manchester United man, with the Seagulls willing to part with £5million to secure the deal.
Powell scored 15 goals for Wigan last season as they won League One to return to the Championship.
Good move for Celtic?
Powell is in some serious form for Wigan after their return to the Championship, with the attacking midfielder netting three times and registering four assists in seven games already this term.
This follows a season in which he scored 15 goals and laid on seven assists in all competitions for the Latics, and that kind of productivity was inevitably going to attract attention from some of the country’s top clubs.
Celtic would do well to win this race for Powell, with the 24-year-old able to bring something different to this Hoops attack.
Celtic have some very talented midfielders and some top class strikers, but are lacking a player in between the two. That is exactly what Powell is, and his productivity behind the strikers is unrivalled in the Championship at the moment.
This is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
Securing him on a free would obviously be ideal, but a January agreement for a low price would also be a brilliant move for the Hoops.
However, with Brighton also in the mix, the Hoops may have their work cut out if they want to convince Powell to turn down a return to the Premier League.
This is Futbol rating: 3/10