Following a standout performance at the World Cup, emerging talent Haissem Hassan is reportedly heading to Celtic for a medical in Glasgow. The club has agreed upon an initial transfer fee of £6 million, which could escalate to £9 million, with Real Oviedo.

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This potential move signifies a resolution to ongoing negotiations and would mark Celtic’s third new addition this summer, just ahead of the critical Champions League play-off against LASK.

Martin O’Neill has emphasized the importance of quality over quantity as he aims to rebuild a squad that has seen over a dozen departures since last season’s double cup victory.

With this context, what draws Celtic to Hassan, and what attributes might he bring to the team?

Impressive World Cup Performance

Although he played a limited 126 minutes during the World Cup, Hassan’s reputation soared. He did not participate in Egypt’s Group G matches due to issues with his registration, as revealed by head coach Hossam Hassan.

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Finally included as a substitute, the 24-year-old made a mark during Egypt’s penalty shootout win against Australia and showcased his talents in the knockout stage against Argentina. Starting that match, he assisted Mostafa Zico’s goal with a precise cross after an impressive run past defenders.

Hassan’s contribution did not go unnoticed, as he had a notable disallowed goal in a narrow 3-2 loss to the reigning champions, highlighting his speed and dribbling ability.

Throughout his two appearances, Hassan achieved a dribble attempt rate of 6.4 per 90 minutes, further confirming his attacking potential.

With his impactful World Cup showing, any hopes of Celtic keeping their interest secret have diminished.

Background and Career Progression

Born in France, Hassan initially represented the French national teams at Under-17 and Under-18 levels before switching his allegiance to Egypt, his father’s homeland, making his senior debut earlier this year.

He began his club career at Chateauroux, progressing through their ranks. In 2020, a transfer to Villarreal saw him play in the B team, followed by loans to Mirandes and Sporting Gijón, before returning to Villarreal for his first taste of La Liga.

After joining Oviedo in 2024, he played a vital role in their promotion, scoring four goals and providing three assists, although his next season in La Liga was challenging, with no goals and three assists across 37 appearances.

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His low expected goals (xG) of 0.15 last season suggests that clear chances were scarce in a struggling team.

Potential Role in Celtic’s Attack

With the arrivals of strikers like Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran, the right wing position could become Hassan’s domain, potentially shifting Duran to the left side.

Manager O’Neill has hinted at using two strikers up front, combining Hogh and Duran while having Hassan provide width on the right and Yang Hyun-jun on the left.

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This setup would echo tactics from the Gordon Strachan era, which leveraged inverted wingers to support a central attacking partnership.

In their recent 5-1 win over Kilmarnock, Celtic’s strong link-up play fostered an environment where each of Hogh’s hat-trick goals came from varied assists by teammates, highlighting the effectiveness of their attacking fluidity.

The addition of Hassan promises to enhance this dynamic, offering Celtic an exciting new option as they gear up for the upcoming season.

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Having burst on to the World Cup stage this summer, breakout star Haissem Hassan now appears bound for Celtic.

The Egypt winger is reportedly set for a medical in Glasgow after Celtic agreed an initial £6m transfer fee, that could rise to £9m, with Real Oviedo.

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It would end a saga and take Celtic’s haul of new recruits this summer to three as the hugely-important Champions League play-off with LASK looms large.

Martin O’Neill has stated his desire for quality over quantity in replenishing a squad that has lost more than a dozen players since last season’s league and Scottish Cup double success.

So, why have Celtic zoned in on Hassan and what will he bring?

Fruitful World Cup & almost upstaging Messi

Hassan played just 126 minutes at this summer’s World Cup, but it was enough to send his reputation rocketing.

He did not feature in any of Egypt’s Group G matches with head coach Hossam Hassan later revealing it was down to a paperwork delay in registering the former France youth international.

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The 24-year-old was finally unleashed as a second-half substitute in Egypt’s last-32 penalty shootout win over Australia – before delivering a standout performance against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

A left-footer deployed on the right flank, Hassan started the last-16 match and set up Mostafa Zico’s goal, skipping past Enzo Fernandez before drilling in a precise delivery to help put Egypt 2-0 up.

However, it was the Egypt’s infamous disallowed goal in their agonising 3-2 defeat by the defending champions that showcased Hassan’s direct running and dynamic dribbling qualities.

Bursting forward from the right-back area, he evaded two challenges in a 60-yard run before threading a pass through for Mohamed Salah, who teed up Zico.

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Across his two World Cup performances, Hassan registered nine dribble attempts at a rate of 6.4 per 90 minutes.

If Celtic had hoped to keep their interest in the winger under the radar, that prospect was blown out of the water with his impact on football’s biggest stage.

What is Hassan’s back story?

Hassan was born in France and represented Les Bleus at Under-17 and Under-18 level before switching allegiances and making his senior international debut for Egypt, his father’s birthplace, earlier this year.

He started his club career in central France at Chateauroux, featuring initially for their B team and then the senior team in the lower leagues.

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A move to Spain’s Villarreal followed in 2020 where he turned out for their B team, then went on loan to Mirandes before returning to the Yellow Submarine for his first taste of top-flight football in La Liga.

Another loan, to Sporting Gijon, followed and Hassan stayed in the second tier before a move to Oviedo in 2024.

He helped the club win promotion in his first season, scoring four goals and setting up three, but the going was far tougher in La Liga last term.

Hassan contributed three assists and couldn’t muster a goal in 37 appearances, 20 of those from the start, as Oviedo finished bottom to immediately drop back down.

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His xG (expected goals) of 0.15 last season hints at a paucity of clear chances in a team that were the lowest scorers in the division by a distance.

Where will he fit in new-look Celtic attack?

Kasper Hogh is an out and-out-striker, while fellow new arrival Camilo Duran, who can play wide or through the middle, is left-footed but has been deployed on the right wing in Celtic’s opening two games of the season.

That right-wing berth would likely become Hassan’s, with Duran shifting over to the left in place of Yang Hyun-jun.

Manager O’Neill has also hinted at playing two up top, which would mean a Hogh-Duran front pairing and Hassan providing ammunition on the right with Yang on the left.

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That would give Celtic’s attack a similar look to that of the Gordon Strachan era, when Shunsuke Nakamura and either Aiden McGeady or Shaun Maloney operated as inverted wingers, supporting a central pair of strikers – typically Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink with Giorgios Samaras or Scott McDonald.

Celtic’s link-up play really stretched Kilmarnock in the 5-1 weekend win, with hat-trick hero Hogh coming deep and going long to combine with his team-mates.

The wingers and midfielders got into advanced positions throughout, with three different players providing assists for Hogh’s goals.

Adding Hassan would offer Celtic a fresh and exciting option in a fluid attack.

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