It is believed the new move is still some way short of the deal offered by Wigan boss Gary Caldwell, who has had his bid accepted by the Tayside team.
That package is now being reported to have topped the £1.5million mark although Ciftci is understood not to be keen on joining the third-tier English club, relegated from the Championship last season.
The controversial frontman has had talks with his agent Pierre van Hooijdonk (pictured), the former Hoops hitman, and is understood to be keeping his options open. It is thought that the player – and his agent – are keen on a move to Celtic and may be prepared to call Dundee United’s bluff.
Ciftci has only a year remaining on his current deal and rejected the offer of an extension last month.
United chairman Stephen Thompson is not keen to sell the player to the Parkhead men after a backlash from the United fans in January after accepting a £2million joint offer for Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven.
Thompson realizes that in order to sell to Celtic he has to first of all play hardball in the negotiations so as to limit the unrest in the stands at Tannadice. Jackie McNamara yesterday admitted that it was his preference that the player did not join Celtic, from the narrow Dundee United perspective. However the Dundee United manager and ex-Celtic captain also conceded that ultimately the player would decide. It looks increasingly likely that Celtic will get their man, after some more melodrama on Tayside.
