Celtic want £1 million for defender Gary Caldwell.
The Daily Mail says Wigan Athletic were last night preparing a bid of around £600,000 for the 27-year-old in an effort to gazump long-term suitors Middlesbrough.
And it's understood the Premiership side are willing to go as high as £1m to edge out their Championship rivals.
Latics manager Roberto Martinez had initially placed Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra at the top of his wanted list.
Through intermediaries, however, Bougherra made it clear he had no intention of moving to Wigan. That left Caldwell, out of contract this summer, as the back-up option.