Celtic are ahead of Lens and Santos in the race to sign Independiente right-back Fabricio Bustos, according to reports in the French media.

The 25-year-old was said to be close to a move to AEK Athens but the Greek club have pulled out of a deal, leading to the player being offered to other teams.

Considering the Hoops only have Anthony Ralston as an option on the right-hand side of defence, signing a fullback before the transfer window closes is a top priority.

It is believed that the Scottish club have agreed a fee for Royal Antwerp’s Aurelio Buta but negotiations have stalled due to the Portuguese defender’s wage demands.

With that being the case, it appears Celtic have been scouring the market for other options and Bustos’s name seems to have come to the attention of the club’s scouts.

Having been capped four times by Argentina’s national team, a work permit should not be a problem and Independiente are likely to offload him for around €4m (£3.4m).