Haissem Hassan Breaks Silence on Why He Snubbed Athletic Bilbao for Celtic
New Celtic signing Haissem Hassan has broken his silence on the decision that saw him turn down interest from Athletic Bilbao before committing his future to the Scottish giants.
The winger has arrived at Celtic with plenty of excitement surrounding his move, and his first comments about the transfer are likely to make supporters even more eager to see him in action.
Hassan admitted that Athletic Bilbao presented an interesting opportunity and made their interest clear, but insisted that when Celtic came calling, his decision became much easier than many people might have expected.
“I didn’t think twice,” Hassan reportedly said when asked about the choice. “Indeed, Athletic proposed something interesting, but come on, this is Celtic.”
The 24-year-old explained that the size and history of Celtic played a major role in his decision. Rather than seeing the move simply as another transfer opportunity, Hassan believes joining Celtic represents the beginning of an important new chapter in his career.
Celtic’s reputation across European football was also a significant factor. The winger is understood to have been attracted by the opportunity to play in front of passionate supporters and experience the atmosphere surrounding one of Scotland’s biggest clubs.
For Hassan, the decision was not only about what was being offered financially or contractually. He wanted a club where he could feel the intensity of football and become part of something bigger.
And Celtic, in his eyes, ticked those boxes.
The winger is expected to bring pace, direct running and creativity to Celtic’s attack. His ability to operate in wide areas could give the team another dimension, particularly when opponents sit deep and Celtic need a player capable of creating something from nothing.
His arrival has therefore generated significant optimism among the Celtic support.
The Athletic Bilbao interest could have provided Hassan with an attractive alternative, but the winger appears convinced that Celtic is the right place for him at this stage of his career.
“I didn’t think twice,” his message underlined, making it clear that once the opportunity to join Celtic became real, he did not need a long period of consideration.
For Celtic supporters, that statement will be music to their ears.
Players can often have several options when entering the transfer market, but Hassan’s comments suggest that the history, reputation and atmosphere surrounding Celtic made the Glasgow club particularly difficult to resist.
The winger will now have the opportunity to repay the faith shown in him.
Celtic will expect Hassan to settle quickly and become an important attacking player, while supporters will be hoping his pace and attacking ability can translate into goals, assists and memorable performances at Parkhead.
There will inevitably be pressure that comes with joining Celtic. Every new signing is expected to contribute immediately, particularly when the club is competing domestically and preparing for another demanding European campaign.
However, Hassan appears to be embracing that challenge.
His decision to choose Celtic over an alternative such as Athletic Bilbao has already created a talking point among supporters, but the real judgement will come on the pitch.
For now, though, Hassan’s message is clear: Celtic convinced him.
Athletic Bilbao may have offered something interesting, but when the opportunity to wear the famous green-and-white arrived, the French winger apparently knew exactly what he wanted.
And if Hassan can deliver the kind of performances Celtic supporters are hoping for, his decision to turn down Bilbao could quickly become one of the defining stories of his first season in Glasgow.
