Nicolas Kühn is on the verge of a £17.2m transfer to Serie A side Como, with Celtic set to rake in a sizeable return on the winger they brought in from Rapid Vienna for just £3m last year.

The 25-year-old won’t feature in Celtic’s pre-season friendly against Queen’s Park tomorrow night, as his focus shifts to finalising his move to Italy.

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Como manager Cesc Fabregas played a decisive role in the move, personally phoning Kühn multiple times to sell him on the project and outline plans to make him the club’s first-choice option on the right flank.

That intervention appears to have swung the deal, with Kühn reportedly turning down interest from his former side RB Leipzig in favour of a four-year contract on offer in Lombardy.

The German is expected to spend the weekend tying up final details before travelling early next week to complete a medical. If all goes to plan, the deal could be officially announced by midweek, handing Celtic a massive £14.2m profit just 18 months after signing him.

Brendan Rodgers has already brought in Benjamin Nygren from Nordsjaelland in a £1.7m deal, and the Swede may be part of the solution to replace Kühn’s output on the wing.

However, with Jota ruled out until at least the new year, Celtic remain short in wide attacking areas.

The money raised from the Kühn deal is expected to accelerate plans to bolster the squad further. Celtic are already in the market for a striker and a midfielder, and long-term target Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who looks increasingly likely to leave Antwerp this summer, could re-emerge as a serious option now that funds are freed up.