Celtic Close in on Haissem Hassan Amid Midfield Concerns
Celtic look poised to add real firepower to their front line. Haissem Hassan, the Egyptian World Cup winger, is edging towards a move to Glasgow, and the deal now feels a matter of signatures and photographs rather than speculation and whispers.
When he finally holds up the shirt, he will become the club’s third attacking signing of the summer, joining Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran in a revamped forward unit. On paper, that is serious ammunition. Hogh brings presence, Duran brings flair, and Hassan, if he arrives as expected, brings direct running and goals from wide areas.
It is exactly the sort of business that excites supporters. It is not, however, where Celtic’s biggest problem lies.
A squad tilting out of balance
The squad sheet tells its own story. Arne Engels is expected to move on before the window closes. Reo Hatate is also heading for the exit. Paulo Bernardo has already gone. Strip those names out of the middle of the pitch and what remains is worryingly thin.
Right now, Brendan Rodgers can call on Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, Luke McCowan and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as his recognised midfield options. Four players to carry a season that stretches from domestic battles at Celtic Park to the punishing demands of European nights.
That is not depth. That is a risk.
McGregor, the heartbeat of this side for so long, no longer covers the ground with the same relentless snap. Oxlade-Chamberlain, a marquee name on his day, is at a similar stage of his career. Both still have quality, both still see passes others miss, but neither can be asked to shoulder 60-game seasons at full tilt.
Nygren and McCowan are in their prime years and technically sound, yet neither is blessed with blistering pace. Celtic’s current midfield profile is clear: clever, experienced, tidy on the ball – but short on raw energy and legs.
The Achilles heel that won’t go away
That lack of dynamism in the middle has stalked Celtic for years. It has been exposed repeatedly, most brutally in Europe, where opponents run through open spaces that should be locked down by a modern engine room.
Too often, Celtic have been forced to chase games because they cannot win enough duels in the centre or break lines with power and speed. The defence takes the blame, the forwards get scrutinised, but the real weakness sits between them.
Ironically, the back line is not in crisis. A new goalkeeper is on the shopping list and a back-up left-back is needed – Greg Taylor is expected to fill one of those roles – yet structurally the defence is relatively sound. It bends at times, but it is not the root cause of the team’s most damaging spells.
Up front, the picture is even brighter. Hogh has already offered a glimpse of his threat. Duran looks capable of lifting the tempo in the final third. Hassan, if the deal is completed, adds another dimension. The attacking unit is being rebuilt with intent.
The contrast to midfield is stark.
Urgent business in the middle of the park
Celtic do not just need numbers in midfield; they need a change of profile. At least two additions with pace, stamina and aggression are required if this team is to stop being overrun when the level rises.
The current core is fragile. It is vulnerable. And once Engels and Hatate depart, it will be even weaker, both in rotation and in variety. One injury to McGregor or Nygren and the entire balance of the side tilts dangerously.
The board can celebrate the attacking signings. Supporters can rightly look forward to seeing Hogh, Duran and, in time, Hassan combine at Celtic Park. But the season will not be defined by how many forwards are unveiled on the steps of the main stand.
It will be decided in the grind of the midfield, in the games where legs are heavy, spaces are tight, and Celtic either match the opposition’s intensity or get swallowed up by it.
The transfer window has given the attack a fresh edge. Now comes the real test: will Celtic finally fix the one area that has held them back for years, or go into another campaign with the same old Achilles heel exposed for everyone to see?
