Talented winger Haissem Hassan is closing in on a move to Celtic, with the player expected to touch down in the United Kingdom within hours to finalise the formal procedures of his switch.
Sources close to Real Oviedo told CeltsAreHere that Hassan will leave Spain for Britain today, Tuesday. That's a strong sign the negotiations between the two clubs have entered their decisive stages.
The deal had been described as "almost done" up until Monday morning without an official signature. Now the latest developments point to a significant breakthrough. The 24-year-old has begun the process of obtaining travel clearance, while officials at Celtic and Oviedo put the finishing touches to the agreement.
A few final steps remain before the official announcement, with all parties keen not to rush until every clause is agreed. Chief among them is the medical, scheduled as soon as the player arrives in Glasgow, which will be the deciding factor in completing the deal.
Intriguing financial details
On the financial side, the basic value of the deal stands at around 6 million pounds sterling. Performance-related incentives could push the total to 8.5 million pounds sterling, a figure that would represent an important financial boost for Real Oviedo.
Villarreal will also benefit, having retained 40% of the player's sell-on rights during his previous move to Oviedo. That means the yellow submarine will pocket around 2.4 million euros from the value of Hassan's transfer to Celtic.
Hassan's absence from Real Oviedo's most recent squad in their friendly against France's Le Havre had raised eyebrows. The Spanish club then confirmed the exclusion was not down to injury, but came in the context of his imminent departure.
The player's wishes appear to have been decisive throughout the negotiations. Hassan showed a strong determination to move to Celtic Park from the outset, and the Bhoys are now close to landing one of their most prominent attacking targets in the current transfer window.