Bristol City winger Niclas Eliasson is "getting closer and closer" to joining Ligue 1 side Nîmes Olympique despite recent reports linking Celtic with a move. 

The 24-year-old is in the final year of his current deal and has a contract offer from the Robins but is yet to commit his future to the club.

Eliasson was sensational for City last term, scoring three times and adding 13 assists, but struggled to cement a place in the starting XI and has been little more than an option off the bench this term.

The Scottish Sun reported earlier this week that Celtic were preparing to swoop for the winger as an alternative to Charlton's Alfie Doughty.

Aston Villa have also been linked in the latter part of the window but it appears both clubs are set to miss out as reports in France have indicated he's nearing a move to Ligue 1.

Journalist Romain Collet-Gaudin has claimed that Eliasson is getting "closer and closer" to joining Nimes.

While compatriot Simone Rovera has indicated that the clubs are in the process of exchanging the last documents but everything has been agreed.

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The Verdict

Given how effective he was in the final third last season, it's undoubtedly a blow for City to lose a player of Eliasson's quality but he doesn't fit in the 3-5-2 system Dean Holden is committed to, meaning he was only likely to be used in certain situations this season.

With his deal running down, it makes a lot of sense for the Robins to look to cash in and a move to Ligue 1 will no doubt be an attractive one for the Swede.

Given some of their recent acquisitions, you imagine Villa won't be hugely frustrated but he strikes me as the sort of player that could have thrived at Celtic so it's definitely a blow for them.