Celtic bid £500,000 for Ryan Christie

Ryan Christie in action for Inverness Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS

The Scottish champions see Christie as a player for the future but are keen to sign him before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday.

Inverness are thought to be willing to sell but will hold out for nearer £750,000.

Currently sitting second bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership, Caley Thistle would be reluctant to see their most promising player leave the club immediately.

But manager John Hughes spoke earlier this month about the possibility of letting Christie go if he were to be loaned back for

the remainder of the season.

“We have to do what’s right for Inverness,” Hughes told BBC Scotland.

“We are a selling club, no doubt about that, and we would never step in anybody’s way. It would be the same with Ryan Christie.

“But, right at this moment in time, he’s under contract to Inverness and long may that continue.

“The ideal scenario would be, if he ever did move, we would try to keep him here just to buy ourselves some time and keep that quality at the club.”

Christie, 20, has been in fine form in recent weeks despite Caley Thistle’s sticky start.

He was part of their Scottish Cup-winning team last season and is widely considered as one of the most talented young players in the country.