Wigan Athletic look to have won the race to sign in-demand Dundee United striker Nadir Ciftci.
After a dramatic day of transfer activity surrounding the Turk, he was last night given permission to speak to the English League One side.
United are understood to have accepted a £1 million offer for Ciftci and, if he can agree personal terms, he will be on his way to Wigan, who are managed by former Scotland and Celtic defender Gary Caldwell.
The Latics finally succeeded in persuading the Tangerines to part with their player after tabling multiple bids. Each offer was an improvement on its predecessor and now Ciftci looks destined to leave Tannadice a year before the end of his contract.
Ciftci may have been on Wigan’s radar for as much as two years, as he scored a spectacular goal in his debut for United in a friendly at the DW Stadium in 2013.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=nWchJFDA-b0%3Frel%3D0
Wigan’s persistence may have paid off for them but it is bad news for Celtic, who had a £900,000 offer for Ciftci rejected by United.
That the Tannadice club said no to the Hoops should have come as no surprise since it became clear in April that a decision had been taken not to sell to the Parkhead club after suffering fall-out from the double departure of Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven to the Glasgow giants in the January transfer window.
There were also reports of interest from English Championship side Middlesbrough but they, too, look set to be disappointed.
Ciftci, who scored 16 goals for United last season, had already informed United he would be not be signing the new deal offered by them to extend his stay beyond the summer of 2016.
That had put manager Jackie McNamara and the board in a quandary over whether to cash in on him now or use him for the remainder of his contract.
Also, the player is due to answer a charge of “excessive misconduct” at Hampden on July 20 for allegedly biting Dundee’s Jim McAlister on the leg during the derby at the end of last season.
The Tangerines have supported the frontman but if found guilty then Ciftci, who is already suspended for the first Scottish Cup tie, would face a lengthy ban and thereby reduce both his sell-on and retention value.
Meanwhile, United have announced that over 4000 season tickets have been sold for the new campaign.
The number of supporters snapping up books has delighted boss McNamara, who said: “The response from our fans has been excellent and buying their tickets before the end of the loyalty period deadline allows me to continue structuring the squad ahead of the season start in August.
“Our home record is excellent compared to a few seasons ago and a big part of that has been the backing from the stands.
“The season ticket holders are the biggest and most consistent part of that support and I am extremely grateful to them.”