Fulham are set to launch a £5million bid for Jordan Rhodes and blow Celtic out of the hunt for the Scotland star.
Hoops boss Neil Lennon is desperate to land a powerful goalscorer as he shapes his squad for the defence of the SPL title and a crack at the Champions League.
Rhodes has been on the radar for six months and Lennon has made personal checks on the Huddersfield striker during a stunning season where he bagged five hat-tricks in a 40-goal haul.
However, despite Rhodes winning promotion to the Championship in Saturday's League One play-off triumph over Sheffield United he is poised for a big-money move and a bidding war is getting under way for his services.
Huddersfield will demand almost £8m for their prize asset but Craven Cottage boss Martin Jol is poised to up his offer to £5m after having an initial £3.5m bid rejected last week.
The finances available in England's top flight leave Celtic struggling to compete and Lennon will be forced to look elsewhere.
Huddersfield boss Simon Grayson insists his club want top dollar and scoffed at Fulham's opening offer.
Grayson said: "£3.5m? Is that for his right leg or left? For someone who has scored 40 goals? Players with 10 or 15 goals would go for £3.5m.
"Jordan's situation will take care of itself in the summer. Someone may come in with an offer we think is suitable for the club. If that happens we will consider it.
"If the money isn't acceptable we won't consider it. Jordan has three years left on his contract and if we wanted to be ruthless we could keep him for that period of time."