Celtic Moves Ahead in Winger Race for Hassan as Rangers Struggle

Rangers and Celtic find themselves circling the same patch of transfer turf again, but this time the battle stretches from Eindhoven to Oviedo, with Monaco and La Liga clubs muscling in.

At PSV Eindhoven, Rangers have already hit a wall. An improved £6m offer for winger Couhaib Driouech has been rejected, with the Dutch club holding firm as interest gathers from elsewhere. Burnley and Celta Vigo have now stepped into the chase for the 24-year-old, and the landscape has shifted.

The Scottish side moved early and aggressively, but the player’s gaze is drifting south. Driouech is understood to hold a slight preference for Celta Vigo after the Spanish club joined the race, a development that immediately complicates Rangers’ pursuit. La Liga, Mediterranean climate, Spanish style of play – it all carries its own pull, and Rangers suddenly look like they’re fighting gravity as well as rivals.

While Rangers wrestle with PSV, another winger tug-of-war is unfolding on the continent, this time with Monaco front and centre. The Ligue 1 club have made Algeria’s 23-year-old Fares Ghedjemis their top priority for the right flank. They have already seen a bid of £6m plus £1.7m in bonuses knocked back by Frosinone, who are in no mood to buckle cheaply.

The Italian club’s stance is backed by recent offers. Frosinone have already turned down £8.6m bids from both Celtic and Rangers for Ghedjemis, a clear sign that the valuation is climbing and the competition is fierce. Monaco, though, are not walking away. An improved offer is planned, and when a club of that stature labels a player “top priority”, the pressure rises on everyone else at the table.

If Rangers are feeling the strain out wide, Celtic are moving with more conviction on another front.

In Spain, Haissem Hassan has been pulled out of Real Oviedo’s squad for their pre-season match against Le Havre. The 24-year-old Egypt winger is the subject of a £9m bid from Celtic and is waiting for the green light to undergo a medical. His absence from the squad is no coincidence; it is the clearest sign yet that this deal is edging towards the final stretch.

The numbers behind it underline Celtic’s intent. An agreement is in place for Hassan to join the Scottish champions on a contract running until 2030. Real Oviedo stand to receive £6m up front, with a further £1.3m due if Celtic reach the Champions League proper. That add-on clause says plenty about where Celtic see themselves and where Oviedo believe they can profit from Hassan’s next step.

There is one snag: paperwork. Hassan is currently dealing with visa issues, a familiar modern obstacle that can stall even the most advanced transfer. But the structure is there, the commitment is clear, and the player is effectively on the runway, waiting for clearance.

Crucially, there is no resistance from his current club. Real Oviedo head coach Julian Calero has made it clear they will not stand in Hassan’s way. When a manager goes public with that stance, it usually signals the emotional parting has already begun. Oviedo are ready to cash in; Celtic are ready to welcome a new wide threat.

So the picture sharpens.

Rangers, rebuffed for Driouech and outbid for Ghedjemis, are being forced to rethink their options in a market where prices are rising and competition is ruthless. Celtic, having missed out on Ghedjemis themselves, have pivoted decisively towards Hassan and look poised to land a winger entering his prime years.

Two Glasgow clubs, three countries, four wingers, and one clear question as the window gathers pace: who finishes this summer with the firepower out wide to match their ambitions on the pitch?