Celtic are in talks with Shamrock Rovers over the sale of Liam Scales to Parkhead.
Mirror Sport understands that further discussions will take place today but there is also interest in the 22-year-old from English Championship clubs.
Scales has been one of the standout performers in the League of Ireland this season, turning in a string of impressive displays.
He is under contract with the Hoops until the end of the 2022 season and Rovers won’t allow him leave on the cheap.
It is unclear if Celtic’s interest will spark a bidding war for the centre-back who has also played superbly at left-wing back this year.
But there is a sense that a deal with Celtic - whose owner Dermot Desmond has a 25% stake in Shamrock Rovers - could be completed quickly once both sides are happy.
The Hoops are busy preparing for Thursday’s Europa Conference League third round, first-leg clash against Albanian side Teuta in Tallaght but Scales role in that game is now in doubt.
Speaking recently, Rovers team-mate Sean Kavanagh praised the job Scales has done when filling in for him at wing-back this season.
“Watching Liam, it’s not an easy position and especially for a centre-half which maybe is his first choice position,” he said.
“For a centre-half to play there just shows the quality he has on the ball. He has everything and I enjoy playing alongside him.
“You saw with the goal against Dundalk in the President's Cup that he has that technical ability and is really good.”
Scales was an Ireland Under-21 international and spent four seasons with UCD before joining Shamrock Rovers for the 2020 season.
Bristol Rovers were close to signing Scales - who was also on Manchester City’s radar - in the summer of 2019 before the deal went cold.
