Celtic will need to break their club-record transfer fee if they are to sign Mathias Kvistgaarden before the January transfer window closes.

With Kyogo Furuhashi leaving for Rennes on Monday, Brendan Rodgers is in the market for a replacement, and the Brøndby striker has been on Celtic’s radar for over 18 months. However, securing his signature will not come cheap.

According to Stephen McGowan of the Daily Mail, Brøndby are demanding £14 million for the 22-year-old Danish forward, a fee that would eclipse the £11 million Celtic paid for Arne Engels in the summer.

Celtic are not the only club tracking Kvistgaarden. Bundesliga sides are also interested, with clubs in Germany monitoring the situation closely. Given Brøndby’s reluctance to sell, it may take a substantial offer for them to part ways with their star striker.

The Hoops have already shown ambition in the market, having spent £6 million on Auston Trusty, £9 million on Adam Idah, £11 million on Engels in the summer months and a further £8 million on Jota in January.

As it stands, there is a gap between Celtic’s valuation and Brøndby’s asking price, and negotiations will need to progress swiftly if a deal is to be struck before the transfer deadline on February 3rd.

Rodgers has made a top-class striker his priority after Kyogo’s departure and it’d down to the board to back him.