CELTIC have been told they will have to pay £1.5million for NEC Nijmegen’s Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
The 21-year-old has been watched by Hoops scouts since the turn of the year and has scored 12 goals to help the Dutch side win promotion back to the Eredivisie.
Jahanbakhsh won the division’s Player of the Year award which has also attracted the attention of Belgian giants Anderlecht.
NEC want the utility attacker to stay at the club while they settle into the top flight and are ready to offer him a new contract, but a sizeable offer will see him on the move.
He has been at the club since arriving in May 2013 and is out of contract in the summer of 2016. The pacy raider has won 15 caps for his country and was in the Iranian World Cup 2014 squad.
Ronny Deila will be looking for width in his squad as he prepares for the Champions League qualifiers.
Aleksandar Tonev, from Aston Villa, and Murabak Wakaso, from Rubin Kazan, will be on their way back to their parent clubs after unsuccessful and it Tonev’s case controversial season-long loan periods.
That will leave the Hoops boss looking at options for wide players and the impressive Jahanbakhsh will be considered in the summer.
