Anthony Joseph has confirmed that Celtic are closing in on a £9 million deal to sign the winger.
It is safe to say that Celtic have not done nearly enough this summer to strengthen their squad this summer. On the contrary, they might have gotten.
They have lost arguably their two best players in the form of Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho, as well as a very capable squad option in Marcelo Saracchi.
In return, two signings have been completed. Camilo Duran has arrived from Qarabag. Kasper Hogh has joined from Bodo/Glimt.
It looks like Celtic are now finally closing in on their third signing of the summer in what is going to be a £9 million deal, if everything goes according to plan.
Celtic close to £9 million signing
As reported by Anthony Joseph, Celtic have made a bid of around £9 million for Haissem Hassan. Real Oviedo are likely to accept the offer, with just a few minor details being ironed out.
The Egypt international is keen on a move to Celtic. As a result, personal terms not expected to be an issue once the clubs agree a deal.
Of course, Celtic have also been linked with another winger in the form of Fares Ghedjemis. But it is believed that it will take a club-record transfer fee to sign the Algerian international.
Celtic have already broken their transfer record once, signing Hogh from Bodo/Glimt. They might not be eager to do it a second time for someone who was playing in the second division of Italian football last season.
Hassan was playing La Liga football last season. And unfortunately, his Real Oviedo side ended up finishing at the very bottom of the table and were relegated as a result.
Is Haissem Hassan good enough?
It is very difficult to judge a winger when he is playing for a team like Real Oviedo, because he is barely going to get any chances to showcase his ability going forward. Most of the time, you expect them to be pinned back and trying to defend, and hoping to get something on the counter.
So, context is key when you look at his stats from last season. Hassan managed just three assists and no goals.
The underlying numbers have some positives though. Hassan was in the 96th percentile for successful dribbles in La Liga, the 91st percentile for duels won and the 90th percentile for accurate long balls.
Just the performance against Argentina at the World Cup should be enough to convince fans that there is a player there in Hassan. And it might flourish playing for a team like Celtic, who are almost always on the front foot.
Celtic will also benefit from someone willing and capable of taking a defender on and getting past him. Not only does it get the fans off their seats but adds another dimension to the game. Of course, Hassan will need to improve his final product.
