Celtic Target World Cup Winger Haissem Hassan Amid Transfer Concerns
Celtic have finally made a move. Sky Sports report that the club have lodged an official enquiry for Real Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan, a World Cup standout now firmly on the radar for Martin O’Neill’s rebuild.
The 24-year-old Egypt international, who caught the eye at the 2026 World Cup with his direct running and composure in tight spaces, has just one year left on his contract in Spain. Scottish journalist Anthony Joseph confirmed that Celtic are “exploring the conditions of a potential deal” as they look to tempt him to Glasgow.
On paper, it sounds like the kind of ambitious, forward-thinking signing supporters have been crying out for. In reality, it arrives against a backdrop of frustration, delay and a growing sense that the club are once again gambling with a crucial season.
Ongoing Transfer Window
O’Neill has been clear for months: this squad needs major surgery. Celtic staggered over the line in last season’s dramatic title run-in, and the manager wanted that momentum to be the launchpad for a decisive summer.
Instead, the story has been familiar. Slow movement. Hesitation. Opportunities slipping away.
Two of the key figures in that title-winning surge, Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi, were identified early as priorities to retain. O’Neill wanted them tied down, made it known that continuity in those positions would ease the scale of the rebuild. The instruction to the boardroom was simple: get them signed.
It did not happen.
Lowball offers saw both deals collapse, with the Celtic hierarchy apparently unwilling to commit serious money to players who would not carry significant resale value. The result? Two trusted performers, both proven in the pressure of a title race, are gone.
The fallout has been ugly. The club were accused of briefing the media with a slanted version of Iheanacho’s wage demands, only for reports from Turkey to cast doubt on that narrative almost immediately. For a manager trying to build trust and authority in the dressing room, it was another avoidable mess.
Maeda Talks
Just as supporters were waiting for a statement signing, another concern emerged. Ipswich Town have now officially opened talks with Celtic over a possible deal for Daizen Maeda.
Maeda’s work rate, versatility and big-game impact have made him a key figure in recent campaigns. Losing him, on top of Iheanacho and Saracchi, would strip even more experience and reliability from a squad already short on depth.
That is why the Hassan enquiry lands with such mixed emotion. On one hand, Celtic are moving for a 24-year-old international with World Cup pedigree and upside. On the other, it feels like another example of the club refusing to properly add before subtracting, waiting for wages to come off the books before committing to real investment.
Urgent Timing
The timing could hardly be more delicate. The UEFA Champions League play-off looms again, the annual fork in the road that can define a season both financially and emotionally.
Last year, Celtic flirted with disaster and escaped. This time, the warnings are growing louder. Former captain Paul Lambert, among others, has already stressed that the club will not keep getting away with such thin margins and half-measures.
Right now, those warnings look well placed. Iheanacho gone. Saracchi gone. Maeda in talks to leave. A squad that needed reinforcement has instead been chipped away, while meaningful arrivals have yet to reshape the dressing room in O’Neill’s image.
Hassan: An Intriguing Target
Against that backdrop, Hassan is an intriguing target. At Real Oviedo he has shown the kind of pace, one‑v‑one ability and bravery on the ball that can lift a crowd and change the tempo of a game. His World Cup performances for Egypt underlined that he can handle a big stage and big pressure.
With just a year left on his contract, Celtic sense an opportunity. A player entering his peak years, potentially available at a price that fits the club’s well-worn model of buying talent with room to grow and, crucially, to sell on.
The question is no longer whether Celtic can identify this type of player. It is whether they are prepared to act with the conviction and speed required to actually land them, instead of watching another target slip away while negotiations drag and internal debates rumble on.
Because the picture is stark. A manager demanding reinforcements. A fanbase watching key men walk out the door. A Champions League play-off on the horizon. And now, a World Cup winger in the frame who could help change the mood.
The enquiry for Haissem Hassan shows Celtic know where the gaps are. What happens next will show whether they are truly serious about filling them.
