Celtic and Rangers have spent much of the summer chasing the same man, but their shared pursuit of Fares Ghedjemis is now unravelling fast, and Rangers are quietly plotting a very different route to steal a march on their rivals.

Ghedjemis battle fading as price tag soars

Both Glasgow clubs had been tracking Frosinone winger Ghedjemis for months, with the Algeria international - the first player in his club's history to feature at a World Cup - firmly on the radar at both Parkhead and Ibrox.

However, his stock has continued to rise throughout the summer, and Frosinone's valuation has now reportedly climbed as high as €20million (£17.3m).

Monaco have already tested the water with an offer worth €7million plus add-ons, only for that to be knocked back by the Serie A new boys, underlining just how unwilling Frosinone are to sell their star man on the cheap.

With that figure now well beyond what either Celtic or Rangers are believed to be willing to spend, both clubs' interest in Ghedjemis appears to be cooling rapidly, effectively ending a transfer saga that once looked destined to become a straight Glasgow derby in the market.

Attention turns to Hearts sensation Claudio Braga

With Ghedjemis fast becoming unaffordable, Celtic have already been widely reported to have shifted their focus to Claudio Braga, the Hearts forward who took the Scottish Premiership by storm last season.

The Portuguese attacker was voted PFA Scotland Player of the Year after playing across the frontline for the Jambos, scoring 14 times in 38 Premiership outings.

Celtic have monitored Braga for a while, and with Hearts having already lost captain Lawrence Shankland and midfielder Cammy Devlin this summer, there's a growing sense at Tynecastle that further departures could follow if the right offer arrives.

But Football FanCast sources understand this is far from a straight fight for Celtic to win. Rangers boss Derek McInnes has a long-standing relationship with Braga stretching back to his time at Hearts, and sources close to the situation say the Ibrox club are ready to match any bid Celtic put forward for the 26-year-old, positioning themselves for a genuine hijack of one of Scottish football's most sought-after emerging talents.

McInnes was said to be keen on bringing Braga to Ibrox with him when he replaced Danny Rohl in the Rangers dugout, and that admiration has only grown. Hearts knocked back an offer in the region of £5million for the forward back in January, and are understood to want a fee closer to £8-10million to sanction a sale this summer - a valuation that hasn't put off either Glasgow club.

With McInnes willing to go toe-to-toe financially with Celtic and use his existing rapport with the player as leverage, sources suggest Rangers view this as a genuine opportunity to land a marquee attacking addition while simultaneously dealing a psychological blow to their fiercest rivals.

Braga opens up on his "ambitions" amid transfer talk

Braga himself has remained coy on the growing transfer speculation, insisting his sole focus is on the season ahead under new Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken rather than any interest from Glasgow.

"I feel like it's something that as a professional you can't be distracted with. I need to try my best to not hear worries around me and everything," Braga said. "Everything else is in talks with my agents and everything. I don't really want to be in that unless something is really on the table."

He did, however, leave the door open to a future departure, adding: "Of course, every player has ambitions and everything, but I have a contract with Heart of Midlothian and I would only go if it's something good for me and for the club."

Vrancken, meanwhile, has made clear he won't be distracted by transfer speculation surrounding his best players as Hearts look to bounce back from missing out on the title. "I put my energy in the players who are here at the moment," the Belgian said. "What's coming or what's going out, you'll never know in a window. It's also part of football so I don't put my energy in this."

Rangers also chasing PSV winger Driouech

Braga isn't the only attacking target on Rangers' radar as they look to strengthen McInnes' options out wide. The Ibrox club have also been chasing PSV winger Couhaib Driouech, having already seen an offer worth around £6.4million rejected by the Eredivisie side, though talks are continuing amid competition from Celta Vigo.

The Morocco-eligible 24-year-old racked up seven goals and eight assists across the Eredivisie and Champions League lasts season, catching plenty of eyes across Europe.

Whether it's Braga arriving to bolster the final third or Driouech providing a direct upgrade out wide, Rangers look intent on strengthening their attacking options significantly before the transfer window shuts, regardless of how the Ghedjemis situation and their rivalry with Celtic ultimately plays out.