Celtic Pursue World Cup Star Haissem Hassan Amid Transfer Frustrations
Celtic have finally nudged the transfer window into life, lodging an official enquiry for Real Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan – but the move arrives against a backdrop of growing frustration and a squad that looks thinner by the week.
Sky Sports confirmed that the Scottish champions have asked about the conditions of a potential deal for the Egypt international, who has one year left on his contract in Spain. Scottish journalist Anthony Joseph reported that the club are “keen to bring the Egypt international to Glasgow” after his impressive World Cup displays and are now exploring what it would take to get him out of Oviedo.
Hassan, 24, caught the eye at the FIFA World Cup 2026, notably in Egypt’s Round of 32 clash with Australia at Dallas Stadium in Arlington. His performances there have fuelled interest across Europe; for Celtic, he is being viewed as a possible frontline option under Martin O’Neill next season rather than a developmental punt.
On paper, it sounds like the sort of ambitious, targeted move supporters have been crying out for. The reality around it is far less reassuring.
A window defined by what Celtic have not done
O’Neill has been clear: this squad needs major surgery. The title win in May was dramatic, emotional, and ultimately successful, but it was also a warning. Celtic escaped. They did not dominate.
Two of the key figures in that comeback – Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi – should have been the foundation stones for the rebuild. Both were specifically requested by O’Neill to be tied down, with the manager pushing CEO Michael Nicholson and CFO Chris McKay to get permanent deals over the line.
Instead, the club lowballed them. Both moves collapsed.
Iheanacho and Saracchi, players who had already proved they could deliver under pressure in Glasgow, were allowed to walk away from Paradise, a decision that has left the manager exposed and the support exasperated. The sense is that the board looked at their age profiles and potential resale value and decided against committing serious money.
The fallout has been ugly. The club are alleged to have briefed sections of the mainstream media with claims about Iheanacho’s wage demands, only for reports from Turkey to quickly challenge that narrative. Whatever the exact numbers, the optics are clear: Celtic lost a player the manager trusted, then tried to spin the story.
Maeda talks deepen the sense of unease
As if that were not enough, Daizen Maeda may be next out the door. Ipswich Town have now officially opened talks with Celtic over a possible deal for the Japan forward.
Maeda’s work-rate, versatility and knack for scoring in big league moments have made him a favourite at Celtic Park. Losing him in the same window as Iheanacho and Saracchi, without proven replacements already in the building, would be a serious blow to O’Neill’s attacking options.
This is where the Hassan enquiry takes on a different tone. Instead of looking like the next exciting piece in a layered, proactive recruitment drive, it feels more like a reaction to a squad being stripped back before it has been strengthened.
The policy is familiar: move players off the wage bill before committing to new signings. It is a financially cautious approach that might keep the balance sheet tidy, but on the football side it is now biting hard. With the UEFA Champions League play-off looming, Celtic have done little meaningful reinforcement. The margin for error is shrinking.
Warnings from the past, pressure in the present
Celtic flirted with disaster last season. The title was rescued late and dramatically, but the underlying issues were there for all to see. Former captain Paul Lambert, among others, has warned repeatedly that the club will not get away with the same drift and indecision again.
Yet here they are, without Iheanacho, without Saracchi, potentially without Maeda, and still locked in negotiations and enquiries when they should be unveiling signings and bedding them into O’Neill’s system.
The pattern is depressingly familiar: feet-dragging, dithering, delaying. The sense that every deal must be perfect on the spreadsheet before it is allowed to help on the pitch. It is the kind of thinking that can turn a Champions League play-off into a financial cliff edge.
Hassan, if Celtic can prise him from Oviedo, would at least bring fresh energy and a World Cup pedigree to the flanks. He is entering his prime years, comfortable in high-intensity games, and has already shown he can handle the pressure of a global tournament. On football terms, he fits the profile of what O’Neill needs.
But one enquiry does not fix a window. It does not replace the goals, movement and personality of Iheanacho. It does not cover the loss of Saracchi’s aggression and drive from the left. It does not answer the question of how Celtic intend to navigate a season that demands both domestic dominance and a credible European campaign.
Right now, the club would “settle for maintenance”, as the original lament put it – simply holding their ground rather than slipping backwards. That, in itself, tells its own story.
The Champions League play-off is coming fast. The squad is lighter. The manager’s patience is being tested. Celtic have finally made a move for Haissem Hassan.
The real test is whether this is the start of a decisive push, or just another isolated enquiry in a summer the club can no longer afford to waste.
