Celtic appear to be closing in on their first signing of the summer.
According to Azerbaijani outlet Sport Info, Camilo Duran has now left Qarabağ’s pre-season training camp and travelled to Scotland to complete his move to the Scottish champions.
The report claims the Colombian striker will undergo his medical over today and tomorrow before signing a three-year contract, with the club holding the option to extend the deal by a further 12 months.
If completed, it would bring an end to weeks of speculation surrounding the 24-year-old.
Duran enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions, including five in the Champions League, and has emerged as one of Martin O’Neill’s priority attacking targets.
One intriguing detail, however, is the reported transfer fee.
Sport Info continue to state that Qarabağ will receive around €5 million for the striker.
That contrasts with previous reports, which suggested Celtic were hoping to conclude a deal closer to the €3 million mark.
Whether the final figure includes achievable add-ons or performance-related bonuses remains to be seen.
The timing of the move is also significant.
CeltsAreHere reported earlier that Celtic were in a race against time to avoid Duran becoming ineligible for the Champions League play-off.
Should he have featured for Qarabağ in Thursday’s Europa League qualifier, UEFA regulations would have prevented him from representing Celtic in the Champions League qualifying rounds this season.
His departure from the Azerbaijani club’s training camp strongly suggests both parties are now focused on completing the transfer before that scenario becomes an issue.
While neither club has officially confirmed an agreement, this is the clearest indication yet that Duran is on the verge of becoming a Celtic player.
If the medical is completed successfully, Martin O’Neill could soon have the first new arrival of what is expected to be a busy summer at Parkhead.
