Hitham Hassan says Celtic move has come at the perfect time in his career

Hitham Hassan says joining Scottish champions Celtic from Real Oviedo has come at the ideal point in his career, as he prepares to begin a new chapter after six years in Spain.

The Egypt international has signed a four-year contract with Celtic, with the option of extending the agreement by a further season.

“I am extremely grateful to be here and very happy. Celtic is a huge club and, when I was young, they were always playing in the Champions League and had great players. I am really looking forward to playing matches with my team-mates,” Hassan told the club’s official website.

The 24-year-old winger said his main ambition was to entertain supporters and help Celtic maintain their position at the top of Scottish football.

“Football for me is about enjoyment, and my first job is to make the fans who come to the stadium happy. Technically, I am a skilful winger who likes one-on-one situations and playing with my team-mates,” he added.

“I am still 24 and have a lot to improve, but I hope to show the best of what I can do.”

Hassan spent six years in Spain after leaving France at the age of 18. He believes moving to Celtic is the right step at this stage of his development.

“At 24, I think this is the right time to leave Spain. I spent six years there,” he said.

“Looking at Celtic’s history, the great players, the fans and the atmosphere, I think this is the perfect time for me. I know I am joining a big club, the biggest club in Scotland, and I am really looking forward to taking the next step.”

Hassan said his time in Spain had exposed him to two different styles of football and helped make him a more complete player. Moving abroad at a young age had also tested him away from the pitch.

“I had two experiences with different playing styles, which made me a more complete player. On a personal level, leaving France at 18, discovering a new country and learning a new language was a big challenge,” he said.

“That is what I want to do here as well. I want to learn English, experience a new culture and discover a different style of football. I am extremely excited about that.”

The winger also reflected on representing Egypt at the 2026 World Cup, where he made two appearances. He provided the assist for a goal against Argentina and was involved in another goal which was ruled out after a video assistant referee review.

“It was a great honour and I was very proud to represent Egypt at the World Cup. It is a big country where we love football, and we felt all that love during the tournament,” Hassan said.

“It is every player’s dream to represent their country at a tournament like the World Cup.”

Hassan helped Real Oviedo win promotion to Spain’s top flight, although the club were relegated back to the second tier after one season. He played 38 matches for Oviedo last season, registering three assists without scoring.

Sky previously reported that Celtic agreed to pay £6m for Hassan, with a further £3m in potential bonuses. A significant portion of those add-ons is expected to be payable if Celtic qualify for the Champions League group stage later this month.

Celtic have won their opening two league matches of the new Scottish season and currently lead the table with six points.

“At Celtic, everything is about winning, and that is what I want. We have to prove that we are still the best team in Scotland, qualify for the Champions League and have a good run in Europe,” Hassan said.