---
title: "Celtic: Hoops weighing up move for Hatem Abd Elhamed"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-hoops-weighing-up-move-for-hatem-abd-elhamed/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dylan Walsh"
section: "SPFL News"
published: "2019-07-06T19:00:52Z"
modified: "2019-07-06T19:00:52Z"
---

# Celtic: Hoops weighing up move for Hatem Abd Elhamed

**Despite Christopher Jullien being announced as a Celtic player, the Hoops seemingly aren’t ready to slow down just yet on the potential centre-back additions this summer.**

[According to the Scottish Sun](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4447638/hatem-abd-elhamed-celtic-transfer-news-hapoel-beer-sheva/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1562275564), the Scottish Premiership holders are weighing up a move for Israel defender Hatem Abd Elhamed, who could be signed for just [£1.6m](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4447638/hatem-abd-elhamed-celtic-transfer-news-hapoel-beer-sheva/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1562275564) despite the 28-year-old signing a five-year deal with current club Hapoel Be’er Sheva in 2017.

The defender won his first international cap for Israel last month in a EURO 2020 qualifier against Poland, a game in which he came on for current Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton in a [4-0 defeat](https://www.google.com/search?q=israel+poland+euro+2020&oq=isr&aqs=chrome.2.69i59j0j69i59j69i57j0l2.2325j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#sie=m;/g/11gxs6l2kl;2;/m/0zdsnbj;ln;fp;1;;) for Andi Herzog’s side.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

With the likes of Dedryck Boyata, Filip Benkovic and Mikael Lustig long gone and star left-back Kieran Tierney also [tipped by BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48731196) to be a target for Premier League giants Arsenal, it makes sense as to why Neil Lennon is eager to rebuild the defence this summer, and in particular, bring in Abd Elhamed.

[Valued at £810,000 on Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/hatem-abd-elhamed/profil/spieler/176990), the 28-year-old Israeli international would be a useful option to have in the Celtic squad next season given his experience and versatility in defence.

[Last season alone (per Transfermarkt too)](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/hatem-abd-elhamed/leistungsdaten/spieler/176990/plus/0?saison=2018) Abd Elhamed, who is primarily a centre-back, played all across the defence for Hapoel Be’er Sheva, operating as a full-back on six different occasions for the Israeli Premier League side, and with Celtic losing a good few defensive players this summer who could all operate in different positions, the 28-year-old would be a cheap (for the price mentioned) utility man to fill in some of these missing gaps.

After spending a reported £7m on the aforementioned [Jullien](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48770628) as well as the apparent £3m spent on [Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo,](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4438670/boli-bolingoli-mbombo-to-celtic-transfer-not-too-far-away-says-neil-lennon/) a move for another defender on the cheap side would be a smart course of action for Lennon, who was said by the [Daily Record](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/how-much-could-celtic-spend-17269762) in June to want up to five more additions as the Scottish champions [potentially spend](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/how-much-could-celtic-spend-17269762) ‘a fair few quid’.

In Abd Elhamed, the Scottish side could have a defender who wouldn’t only be fairly cheap in terms of transfer fee but a potential option to fill in across a number of roles.

***Celtic fans, would Abd Elhamed be a good signing? Let us know!***