Celtic 'closing in on Nicolas Kuhn signing from Rapid Vienna'

Manager Brendan Rodgers has expressed his desire for the Hoops to make "one or two" key signings to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window.

Rodgers is light in the attacking department at present as Japan's Daizen Maeda, South Korean duo Oh Hyeon-gyu and Yang Hyun-jun, and Australia's Marco Tilio are all away on international duty at the Asian Cup along with Japanese midfielder Reo Hatete.

Kuhn has recently emerged as a leading target for Celtic, who appear to have won the race to sign the 24-year-old winger.

According to Football Insider, Kuhn's transfer to Celtic is considered a "done deal" after the Scottish Premiership giants reached an agreement with Rapid Vienna to sign the German for a figure in excess of £2m.

The report adds that the Hoops have secured a work permit for Kuhn and only a minimal amount of paperwork needs to be sorted out before the transfer can be finalised.

Kuhn began his professional career in the Netherlands with Ajax, but he failed to make a single senior appearance for the club before spending two years at Bayern Munich II between 2020 and 2022.

The winger featured 37 times for the German club's reserve side before moving to Erzgebirge Aue on loan and then to Rapid Vienna on a permanent basis in May 2022.

Kuhn has since established himself as an important first-team player for Rapid Vienna, scoring seven goals and registering 10 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions.

Three goals and seven assists have been recorded in 22 matches so far this season, helping the club climb to sixth in the Austrian Bundesliga and advance to the quarter-finals of the Austrian Cup.

Kuhn has primarily operated as a right-winger with Rapid Vienna, but he has previously shown his versatility in the forward areas during his career, playing on either flank, in an advanced midfield role or as a central striker.

Celtic have also been tipped to sign a new defender this month amid speculation that Lecce could sign Gustaf Lagerbielke on loan, with Nottingham Forest's Scott McKenna believed to be on the Hoops' radar.