World Cup Standout Targeted As Celtic Close To Sealing Third Capture

Following on from the trials and tribulations of the double winning 2025/26 campaign, whilst manager Martin O’Neill may have recently taken a more bird’s eye view on life at Parkhead, Celtic’s 2026/27 Scottish Premiership season is now well up and running.

As we head towards the midway point of August, with two games played we have established our 100% record domestically in the league, and we have notched up six points with a plus five goal difference already. Naturally, with only one goal conceded in those two matches, fans will rightly be expecting that there is more to come from O’Neill’s (partially) new look side, and it seems that the first team changes are not over yet. Although we may have been slow in the summer transfer window with our business when compared to others, we are apparently not done yet.

As we entered the new week fresh on the back of the 5-1 hammering of Kilmarnock on their soil, reports in Spain emerged that we had now struck a deal for Haissem Hassan. The 24 year old right sided attacker has been with La Liga side Real Oviedo since the start of the 2024 campaign, where he has made 82 appearances in total for them across all competitions, scoring four times. Those using a Stake Sportsbook for their transfer odds may well have been very happy when the rumour mill speculation about Hassan quickly firmed up into a likely real deal.

Although he was originally born in Paris, for fans who watched the recent summer World Cup a little bit more closely, they may remember his name as he now has six international caps for Egypt after switching his allegiance after representing France at youth levels. Although he did not feature in the Group Stage matches as a relative newbie in the squad and following some paperwork issues, he more than showed what he was capable of as a substitute in their last 32 penalty win over Australia, and again in the clash with Argentina where he was a clear standout in the match.

It was being reported that the Spanish side were holding out for a fee of 12 million Euros given how he impressed, but that an agreement had instead been struck at the 6 million Euro mark. Entering the final year of his contract would have undoubtedly aided the fee negotiations.

With it being believed that it is now only a matter of time before the move is announced as being official – and it may or may not include a 3 million Euro clause uplift owing to a sell on fee that is owed to Villarreal – it would take our summer recruitment to three new faces on the training ground, and fans who do not remember him from the tournament will be eager to see what he can bring to the side, after he has settled in properly.

Even if the deal now progresses quickly past personal terms being agreed and a full medical, it is likely that the upcoming weekend’s clash with Dundee United in the League Cup second round at Tannadice Park will be too soon for even a cameo. However, the following Wednesday’s, UEFA Champions League Play Off tie with LASK would presumably be very well timed for him to at least make his bow as a substitute during the latter stages of the game.

Once he is comfortable and has an understanding with his new team mates, he could well be an absolute gem.

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