Neil Lennon confirms defender is set for Celtic departure | OneFootball

Hatem Abd Elhamed looks set to have played his last game for Celtic as Neil Lennon revealed that in the wake of the 2-1 win over Motherwell that a fee was agreed to sell the player back to a club in Israel. The right-back has been living alone in Glasgow with his wife and child opting to return to Israel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He’s really struggled with life here,” Lennon told BBC Scotland.

“He’s been through a really tough time of it mentally. His wife and young son are back in Israel and he really wanted to go home.

“That deal will come to fruition today or tomorrow.”

The right back reportedly wants to leave the club in order to be near his family, who have been living back in Israel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Elhamed has played but he has looked as if he was struggling with something on his mind and now it appears clear that he is missing his wife and young son. The 29-year-old was signed for £1.6m and the club will want to recoup some of that fee.

The news will leave just Jonjoe Kenny and Anthony Ralston as the club’s only options at right back with Jeremie Frimpong leaving for Bayer Leverkusen last month in a deal worth £11.5m. It makes Celtic’s signing policy even more baffling if the club knew that Elhamed was set to leave the club.