Celtic are in talks with AEK Athens after stepping up their move to sign £6.5 million-rated goalkeeper Vasilios Barkas.
Record Sport understands the Greek international is high on the target list with a bid to re-sign Fraser Forster from Southampton having faltered.
Sources in Greece claim the Parkhead outfit have had a first bid of £3.5 million rising by another £1 million in add-ons turned down as AEK attempt to start an auction for their outgoing 26-year-old.
Barkas is set to leave Athens with French outfit Montpellier and newly-promoted English side Leeds United also understood to be monitoring the situation and it’s believed the personal terms which would be on offer at Celtic are acceptable to the Dutch-born No.1 and his advisors as he seeks his next challenge after four years at his current club.
AEK want to get at least £6.5 million for the shotstopper, but it is believed an offer in the region of £5 million could be enough to tempt them into a sale as they have already decided the keeper is going and they are also desperately seek much-needed funds to make alterations to their own squad.
Record Sport reported last month that AEK major backer Dimitris Melissanidis and Technical Director Ilia Ivic held a meeting in the middle of lockdown where it was decided that selling Barkas would be a key way to offset recent frustrating hits to the club’s coffers.
AEK have suffered a tough recent spell with suspended sentences, fines and crowd bans from UEFA for fan trouble at Euro games, while Covid-19 also shut Greek football down for three months and forced play-off matches upon the game’s restart to be played behind closed doors meaning more damaging losses of revenue.
Ivic is believed to have pinpointed Barkas as a key sale as there is no need for a replacement to be purchased with current back-up keeper Panagiotis Tsintotas proven in the top team and lined-up to assume the full-time, first-choice slot.
Celtic are assessing a number of possibilities with other options on the table after Forster initially rejected the chance to return after spending last term on loan.
While there is still faint hope of a late u-turn from the Englishman after the clubs agreed a loan-to-buy deal a month ago, manager Neil Lennon needs a keeper soon and Barkas is firmly on the radar.
