James Penrice is set to sign for AEK Athens, ending any hopes of a move to Celtic after the club had tracked his progress over the course of last season.
The Hearts full-back, who was one of the few standouts in a poor campaign for the Tynecastle side, had been scouted by the Hoops recruitment team as they assessed options to bolster the left side of defence.
With Greg Taylor leaving for PAOK earlier this week, the need to reinforce in that area has grown more urgent.
Penrice made 46 appearances in all competitions for the Jambos, contributing two goals and seven assists. His form earned him a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year, and his consistency did not go unnoticed. However, despite keeping tabs on the defender, Celtic never moved to open formal talks with Hearts or the player.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Thursday that Penrice will now head to Greece, with a move to AEK Athens set to be completed soon.
The 26-year-old, who previously turned out for Livingston, now takes on a new challenge with the Greek giants, joining a squad that has been active in the summer window.
Celtic remain interested in bringing Josh Doig back to Scotland, with the Verona full-back still a reported target.
Brendan Rodgers will be keen to bring in proper cover and competition for Kieran Tierney, who returned to Glasgow this summer after six years at Arsenal. Reinforcements in key areas are expected in the coming weeks as the squad continues to take shape ahead of the new campaign.
