Celtic target Nicolas Kuhn won't feature in a friendly match for Rapid Vienna this afternoon.
The Austrian club are scheduled to face Wiener Sport-Club on Saturday in friendly action but Kuhn won't be risked for the fixture.
Reports in Austrian outlet Kurier state Kuhn is ready to feature after light strength training earlier in the week but he won't be included in the matchday squad.
Instead, a no-risk approach will be adopted for Kuhn as transfer talks with Celtic continue.
“If there was a league game, both Kongolo and Kühn could play. But we don’t want to risk anything,” said Rapid boss Robert Klauss.
Celtic are reportedly in advanced talks to land Kuhn as their first signing of the January transfer window.
The 24-year-old is thought to be closing in on a £3m transfer switch to join Brendan Rodgers' side.
And Kurirer reports that Celtic's approach impressed the former Germany youth international.
Kuhn is under contract with the club until 2026 after signing a lengthy deal on his arrival from Bayern Munich in a £500,000 deal in summer 2022.
The forward has three goals and seven assists across 22 appearances for Rapid this season.
Rodgers has previously signalled his interest in boosting the Parkhead side's attacking options with Daizen Maeda, Yang Hyun-jun and Oh Hyeon-gyu being called up for their respective countries to play at the Asian Cup.
He said: "Obviously we have been trying to anticipate the guys over the last few months who are going away to the Asian Cup so clearly if Daizen [Maeda] and Kyogo [Furuhashi] are away then we would have to do something in the market."
Meanwhile, Celtic prospect Kwon Hyeok-kyu., 22, has agreed a loan switch to St Mirren until the end of the season.
