Portland Timbers coach’s opinion on Darlington Nagbe proves why Celtic want him

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If anyone’s wondering why Brendan Rodgers is so determined to sign the American, this should explain it.

With Scott Brown leading by example with the captain’s armband clasped around his bicep, and Stuart Armstrong finally showing why Celtic were so keen to bring him to Glasgow in 2015, there doesn’t appear to be much room in Brendan Rodgers’ midfield for a newcomer right now.

And that’s without mentioning Tom Rogic (below) and Nir Bitton, the gifted duo left on the sidelines due to the depth and quality at Rodgers’ disposal.

Nethertheless, Liberian-born USA international Darlington Nagbe continues to dominate the gossip columns in Scotland, with the Scottish Sun suggesting Celtic are mulling over the prospect of stumping up £2 million to enhance a position already stocked with talent.

So why are the champions so keen on the 26-year-old Portland Timbers star? Well, maybe their head coach can go some way to explaining it.

“He came out of the womb with the ability to control the ball like he does,” Caleb Porter said in 2013 just after Nagbe was voted the best young player in the MLS, as reported by FourFourTwo.

“He has athleticism as well – extremely explosive, great balance. The other thing with him is he’s become much more assertive. I think you’ve seen that. His production this year has been the best of his career.

“It’s honestly the tip of the iceberg. I think he really does have the ability to be one of the most special players that this country has seen.”

The heir-apparent to US legend Landon Donovan, football on the other side of the Atlantic certainly has a long way to go before it can match the competitiveness and the technique of the European game and no amounts of over-the-hill imported veterans will change that.

If ‘soccer’ is to truly take off, the national team needs an all-American hero and, alongside Christian Pulisic, Nagbe could be the man for the occasion.

It’s no wonder Celtic want to sign him then. It’s not often you can pick up a player tipped to be one the best in his nation’s history for £2 million.