Celtic have been handed a boost in their bid to land one of their primary winger targets this month. The Bhoys still find themselves sorely in need of wide players, with only two strikers signed at this stage.
Martin O'Neill wants a handful of new recruits, and indeed for the likes of Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate to be replaced, with the first of those already gone and the other two likely to follow.
But deals have been hard for the Bhoys to strike this summer, and the search goes on. Two wingers appear to have been identified as targets, and O'Neill has already confirmed interest in Fares Ghedjemis, while Real Oviedo's Haissem Hassan has been a target for much of the summer.
Hassan rejects move to Saudi Arabia
In a fresh boost for Celtic, Hassan is said to have rejected a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in a bid to land a move within Europe. Oviedo are expected to cash in on Hassan, who has a £10.2million release clause, and it's likely they will sell for less than that clause.
The Spanish club were relegated from the top tier after just one season, and while they don't need to do cost-cutting as such, they do need to reduce their salary to make a few new signings due to a stricter salary cap now that they have been relegated. LaLiga salary caps are largely based on income, and Oviedo's income will be significantly reduced after dropping down to the second tier.
According to La Nueva España, Hassan has turned down a big-money deal from Saudi Arabia, reportedly worth £38,500-per-week for five years. The decision was made because he wants to stay in Europe, and he will continue preparing for the new season with Oviedo until the right offer comes in from Europe.
Reports suggest a deal can be done for between £8million and £10million, but it remains to be seen whether Celtic are willing to meet that mark. Their interest in Ghedjemis looks to be more serious at this stage, but it's not out of the question that Celtic try to sign both players, given how much O'Neill's system relies on wingers.
But the Bhoys have big needs elsewhere, still requiring another left-back, a couple of midfielders and a goalkeeper, while Alistair Johnston may yet need replacing on the right. So, they are going to have to factor those needs into their budget.
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