HATEM ABD ELHAMED will sign a four-year deal with Celtic tomorrow – after Israeli international boss Andreas Herzog and the country’s sports director Willi Rotensteiner supported the £1.6million transfer.
The Hapoel Be’er Sheva right-back will require a work permit before the move can be rubber-stamped.
Abd Elhamed has been capped only once by his nation and requires backing to prove he should get the necessary paperwork put in place to continue his career in Scotland.
The 28-year-old versatile defender – who can also play at centre-half – has been given a boost after Herzog and Rotensteiner wrote to the SFA to underline his qualities.
The Israel team manager, who guided the side to a 2-1 Nations League win over Alex McLeish’s Scotland last season, has explained the player would have won far more caps if a car accident hadn’t interrupted game time.
Abd Elhamed has been included squads, though, and made his international debut this summer in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Poland.
Club Head Coach Barak Bakhar admitted the loss of the defender will be a blow to the team.
Speaking in a report in the Daily Record, he stated: “We are delighted for Hatem and are happy for our club because of the transfer fee.
“It is not every day that a player from Be’er Sheva makes such a big transfer to a huge club like Celtic.
“However, in terms of our squad, this is a massive loss and it will be very difficult to get along without him, but that’s football.”
