The £9m summer arrival has been withdrawn from international duty, and for now Celtic are left waiting on details.
Haissem Hassan will not feature for Egypt in their forthcoming fixtures after being ruled out through injury and is currently receiving intensive treatment, his national team manager has confirmed.
The 24-year-old joined Celtic from Real Oviedo for a fee of up to £9m during the summer and has made nine appearances for the Scottish champions since arriving. It’s the kind of update that lands with a thud on a Thursday afternoon – no real detail, just enough to worry about.
What Egypt’s Manager Actually Said
Hassan had been included in Egypt’s squad for their African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and South Sudan, along with a friendly against South Africa, before being withdrawn because of the injury. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan confirmed the winger is receiving intensive treatment at present, though he stopped short of specifying the nature of the problem or when Hassan might be fit again.
He said the player remains a vital technical asset for the national side’s long-term vision, but that his recent injury made it impossible to join up for this camp, adding that player health and full physical recovery are prioritised above all else and that Hassan is expected back once he’s 100 per cent fit. It’s a diplomatic answer, and a fair one, but it tells Celtic supporters precisely nothing about what they actually need to know.
A Big Miss for a Player Still Settling In
Hassan’s arrival from Oviedo was meant to add a different kind of threat out wide, and the deal that brought him to Celtic Park was one of the more eye-catching pieces of summer business given the fee involved. Nine appearances in is still early days for any signing, and losing international minutes to injury rather than a rest is never the ideal way to bank experience.
He’d also been part of Celtic’s squad for their recent European commitments, which underlines just how quickly he’d been worked into the group’s plans across competitions. Whether this latest issue has any bearing on his involvement domestically simply isn’t clear yet – nothing in Hossam Hassan’s comments points to severity, and nothing rules out a swift return either.
What Happens Next
Egypt’s stance is straightforward enough: they want Hassan back once he’s fully fit, and no timetable has been put on that. Until Celtic’s own medical staff get a proper look and something more concrete emerges, this is a watching brief rather than a crisis – but it’s one worth keeping half an eye on.
Mon the Hoops.
