His move to Celtic might have fallen through, but the Timbers midfielder has nothing left to prove in America, and a fresh challenge would do him good

Brendan Rodgers was left confused by the first question posed over Celtic’s interest in Darlington Nagbe. Asked about a player called “Darling”, the Northern Irishman didn’t immediately process who or what he was being pressed on. It’s fair to say Nagbe’s name isn’t exactly renowned in Scottish soccer circles.

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They might not hear his name again, after the midfielder’s proposed £3m move to Celtic from the Portland Timbers fell through. Nagbe made back page news in Scotland, with the 26-year-old first snapped as a guest of the Scottish champions at a Champions League game against Barcelona in November. Their interest was genuine, with negotiations between the Glasgow club and the Timbers coming to a head last week. Now, however, the move would appear to be dead in the water after the Timbers held firm on their valuation of the player.

Nagbe is Portland’s best player, after all. Their difference-maker and match-winner. It’s understandable that they would dig their heels in over his mooted exit. But from the perspective of the player himself, the prospect of Nagbe making a move this off-season, whether it is to Scotland or anywhere else, is a compelling one. Considered one of the brightest American talents for quite some time, he finds himself at something of a juncture in his career. Now 26, Nagbe must make the next step if he is to fulfil his undoubted potential. The time is right.

As one of the best players in MLS, Nagbe has found his comfort zone, but that has seen him stagnate. Having reached the height of his career in 2015, winning the MLS Cup for the first time as the Timbers’ star man, the 2016 season was something of a lull for Nagbe. What was supposed to be the year the midfielder blossomed into a truly top-tier talent turned into 12 months in which his trajectory plateaued. His influence in Portland waned as the Timbers put up a dismal title defence, with his international future also called into question after turning down Jürgen Klinsmann’s invitation to take part in a series of national team friendlies in October.

And so this off-season would appear to be the perfect jumping-off point. What more has Nagbe got to left prove in MLS? Sure, he could add some consistency to his game – with just one goal to show for his 27 appearances last season he could certainly sharpen his goalscoring instincts – but in a wider sense Nagb ehas gone as far as he can go at the Portland Timbers. There is nothing left for him to achieve in MLS.

Nagbe needs a new challenge, a new test, even if that doesn’t mean much in the way of a step-up in quality. He should look at how competition has helped Omar Gonzalez make the next step in his career despite joining a club in Pachuca and a league in Liga MX that didn’t exactly represent the most obvious of upward movements for the US international defender. Nagbe must, in the same way, open his mind to find the same thing.

Celtic might have offered him that. They could have provided Nagbe with a platform that transcends Scottish soccer. The Hoops faced Barcelona, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Manchester City in the Champions League this season, also playing six continental matches in qualifying for the competition. If Nagbe wants to put himself in the shop window for even bigger and better things, Celtic had the potential to put him there.

As things stand, though, Nagbe will still be a MLS player next season. The Timbers are overhauling their squad ahead of the 2017 campaign, but they are reluctant to give themselves a void that would be harder than most to fill. Their valuation of the player, their best player, reflects his worth to Portland rather than the true quality of Nagbe. It’s for this reason suitors might be priced out of a move for the 26-year-old.

But even those at the Timbers must begrudgingly recognise that Nagbe needs taking out of his comfort zone. Players like Gonzalez at Pachuca and Perry Kitchen at Hearts – both of a similar age to Nagbe – have set a precedent by seeking pastures new in not the most obvious of places. It’s not necessarily about making the move expected of you, but making the move that presents the best chance of progression. It’s about finding the right fit.

Timbers CEO Merritt Paulson isn’t one for being bullied, especially when it comes to the sale of his team’s best player. However, with Portland granting Nagbe permission to attend the November match between Celtic and Barcelona it would seem the Timbers are at least open to the notion of selling the 26-year-old. If they were to do what’s best for the player and his future, they’d let him leave.