Celtic have reportedly checked the conditions of a transfer for Egypt midfielder Emam Ashour.
The 28-year-old, who started each of his country’s five games as they were eliminated from the World Cup in heartbreaking fashion, is reportedly available for £4 million.
The Hoops have been linked with a host of midfielders this summer, with plenty of change expected in Martin O’Neill’s engine room.
Ashour profiles as a technically gifted, forward-thinking midfielder who specialises in the final third.
Should Celtic take a £4m punt on Haissem Hassan?
Celtic ‘check conditions’ of £4 million-rated Emam Ashour
Mark Hendry reports that Celtic have approached the representatives of Ashour to check the conditions of a possible deal.
Aged 28, he would be an outlier from the club’s usual strategy of investing in players with a view towards utilising their resale value.
READ MORE: Celtic ‘concretely interested’ in Mory Gbane as Martin O’Neill targets midfielder
But it’s hard to argue that there isn’t a place for proven quality in this summer’s window, given the number of important players who could leave.
Ashour was one of Egypt’s most impressive players at the World Cup, scoring a stunning goal in their opening draw with Belgium as well as the opener in their knockout tie triumph over Australia.
The midfielder has spent the last three years at Al-Ahly in Egypt, where he won the illustrious African treble in 2024.
In the following campaign, he finished as top-scorer in the Egyptian Premier League with 13 goals from midfield.
He has played in Europe before, unsuccessfully. He moved to Midtjylland in Denmark in January 2023, but instantly departed six months later having returned to Egypt to recover from a serious thigh injury – he refused to go back to Denmark due to homesickness.
The Danish side paid £3.5 million for his services that winter, but recouped the fee in full upon selling him to Al-Ahly.
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A host of World Cup players linked with Celtic
As well as Ashour, Celtic have also been linked with Egypt winger Haissem Hassan, who had the game of his life in their exit to Argentina.
They have also been linked with a duo from Bosnia, who also made the knockout stages. Celtic have reportedly been negotiating with Benjamin Tahirovic, though weeks have now passed without an update on that front.
They’ve also been linked with his teammate Ivan Basic, facing competition from Frankfurt, Elche and clubs in Russia.
Then, of course, there is Elijah Just, who performed outstandingly for New Zealand. The Hoops have been following the Motherwell star closely for months.
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