Celtic transfer target Gustaf Lagerbielke has a title of BARON and is No.254 in line to the Swedish throne

Celtic are closing in on signing a real life Swedish Baron with his own family coat of arms.

Boss Brendan Rodgers has opened talks with table topping Elfsborg over a potential £3m move for 23-year-old centre half Gustaf Lagerbielke - who is rated as one of the hottest emerging talents in Scandinavia after breaking into his national side earlier this year. And Record Sport can reveal the defender also has one of the most aristocratic family trees in European football - a noble birthline which currently sees him sitting 254th in line to Sweden’s throne and includes a historic family crest which he once wore on his shin guards.

But it’s Lagerbielke’s credentials as a sophisticated central defender which have caught the eye of Rodgers as the Parkhead boss prepares to make his move, with Carl Starfelt on the verge of leaving the club. And Elfsborg director Stefan Andreasson confirmed yesterday afternoon that clubs have opened up between the two clubs.

Andreasson said: “We have had a dialogue in this case. There is an interest, yes.

“But it’s not yet a negotiation. For it to become a negotiation then Celtic must move from interest to acting powerfully and concretely. We are not there right now.

“The trade-off is, as always, in the summer window. We have managed to have healthy conversations with our players. The most important thing is the club and the situation we are in.

“Many players want to leave Sweden. So we have dialogues when there is a good time for it. “Sometimes, when we don’t think the bid is good enough, we might say no, and then it might take a while, and then something better might come along. Then players might still be happy.

“We know roughly what it would mean for a transfer for some players. We have a