CELTIC'S chances of seeing off Bodo/Glimt in the first knockout rounds of the Europa Conference League have been boosted with the Norwegian champions set to sell a third key player.

Bodo/Glimt have secured back-to-back titles but it is now the off-season in Norway, with league football not scheduled to restart until towards the end of March.

Their performances both domestically and in Europe - including, notably, a 6-1 win over Jose Mourinho's Roma in the group stages of the Conference League - have attracted interest from afar, though, as key players have moved on.

Left-back Fredrik Bjorkan - described as Norwegian football expert and former Queen's Park, St Johnstone and Falkirk winger David Weatherston as "the best in the league" - has already agreed a Bosman move to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga, while earlier this week midfielder Patrick Berg sealed a move to Ligue 1's Lens.

The exodus looks set to continue with football journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting on Twitter that star striker Erik Botheim - who has scored seven goals in Europa this season and 15 in the 2021 league campaign - is on the brink of signing for Russian outfit Krasnodar after attracting admiring glances from Serie A giants Lazio.

"Erik Botheim is expected to undergo his medical in Germany in the next hours in order to complete his move to FK Krasnodar, confirmed," he wrote.

"Personal terms already agreed. #transfers Deal at final stages for Botheim to leave Bodø/Glimt - Lazio will go for different targets."

There have also been rumours in Norway that manager Kjetil Knutsen could be tempted by a move elsewhere before Celtic host Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of the play-off round on 17 February.