Celtic were heavily linked with Darlington Nagbe last winter, but the midfielder is now on the move elsewhere.
Reported former Celtic target Darlington Nagbe is set to join Atlanta United, according to ESPN.
The Scottish Premiership champions’ interest in the Portland Timbers midfielder was widely reported late last year, but no move was forthcoming – with the Guardian carrying the story.
Now, Nagbe – long regarded as a top MLS prospect – has been rewarded for his continuing fine form with a move to big-spending Atlanta.
Celtic have certainly not paid the price for passing on Nagbe so far, continuing their domestic dominance while faring respectably in Europe.
But the United States international remains a fine player and would have improved Brendan Rodgers’ squad – and such a swoop now looks impossible.
ESPN’s report details a sizeable fee in MLS terms, while claiming Portland would benefit from a sell-on clause.
Not only does Nagbe’s switch immediately take the player off the market but Atlanta’s wealth – they are one of the top-spending MLS franchises – would make it very difficult to get their man in the future without paying a hefty premium.
The Glasgow club have seemingly missed their chance and they must now hope it is not a costly error, with Nagbe – even at 27 – boasting the potential to improve further.
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