Haissem Hassan’s Celtic arrival has prompted Spanish football expert Sid Lowe to offer his verdict on the winger, and his description will sound familiar to supporters.
Celtic confirmed Hassan as their third signing of the summer window, paying £6 million up front for the 24-year-old. Add-ons could eventually take the deal to £9 million.
Hassan arrives with plenty of experience in Spanish football after six years with Villarreal, CD Mirandés, Sporting Gijón and Real Oviedo.
That background has led Lowe, who has watched Hassan in Spain, to give Celtic supporters an idea of what they might be getting.
He wrote on social media:
“Loads of Hassan questions from Celtic fans among you…. I’ll miss him, I’m excited (for you) and, although he may (will) frustrate you too, if it goes well he will be a lot of fun too. Cult hero in the making, maybe.
“Alternatively, he may drive you mad.”
It did not take long for Celtic supporters to draw comparisons with Daizen Maeda.
The Japanese international left Celtic for Ipswich earlier this summer to pursue his ambition of playing in the English Premier League, having played an instrumental role in last season’s dramatic title win.
Maeda became a huge favourite during his four-and-a-half years in Glasgow. His relentless pressing, willingness to run himself into the ground and increasingly important catalogue of goals made him a nightmare for opponents.
There were frustrations as well.
One-on-ones could go begging and his first touch occasionally deserted him at exactly the wrong moment. At times, Maeda could produce something brilliant and then leave supporters wondering what had happened with a much simpler opportunity minutes later.
None of that diminished what he achieved at Celtic.
In fact, those rough edges became part of what supporters loved about him because his contribution was never in question. Maeda could frustrate, but he could also completely change the tempo of a game through sheer aggression and work rate.
That is why Lowe’s description of Hassan has been received with a fair amount of enthusiasm rather than concern.
“Cult hero in the making” is the part Celtic supporters will naturally latch onto.
Hassan should be judged on his own game rather than expected to become a Maeda replacement, but Celtic have lost a player whose unpredictability was often matched by his effectiveness.
It is also important to stress how different they are as players. Hassan is a left-footed right-winger whose dribbling, progressive passes and ability to take his man on are key components to his game.
If their new £6 million winger can bring his own version of that combination, supporters will happily accept a few frustrating moments along the way.
Maeda set a high bar during his time at Celtic. If Hassan gets anywhere close to making that sort of impact, Celtic will have spent their money well.
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