Scottish champions Celtic could well face a fight to land reported target, Afsha, following reports regarding rival suitors in the race for the Al Ahly midfielder.

What's the word?

That's according to the player's agent, Abdelrahman Ismail (via the Daily Record) who named the Parkhead outfit as one of the clubs who are interested in the 26-year-old - whose full name is Mohamed Magdy - albeit with clubs from Turkey also said to be in the mix.

Following recent claims that the Old Firm giants have made "contact" regarding a move for the Egyptian international, Ismail stated: "Besiktas, Galatasaray and Celtic are competing to sign Mohamed Magdy Afsha."

The suggestion is that the dynamic maestro could command a fee in the region of around £4m were he to depart in the near future, having also been linked with a move to Glasgow back in the summer of 2021.

This also comes amid recent reports that claimed the Hoops have set aside 'significant' funds in order to bring in a new midfield recruit in the January transfer window.

He's a 'great influence'

It is likely a worrying thought as far as the rest of the Scottish Premiership are concerned that the runaway league leaders are looking to further bolster their ranks, with head of recruitment Mark Lawwell having already overseen the addition of both Yuki Kobayashi and Alistair Johnston in recent times.

While that pairing will help to strengthen Ange Postecoglou's defensive unit, the arrival of Afsha could well provide that extra sprinkling of quality in the final third, with the 5 foot 6 playmaker typically operating an attacking midfield role, or even off the flanks.

The Giza-born sensation has proven to be a "great influence" for his current side in recent years - in the words of former boss Ante Cacic - with the hope being that he can go on to replicate such an impact at Paradise.

The diminutive gem has been a truly "wonderful" asset for the Cairo outfit of late, according to Cacic, scoring 29 goals and laying on 32 assists in 146 games in all competitions, having also netted five times in just 20 games for his country.

While a relative unknown outside of his homeland, Afsha could seemingly be another hidden gem that Lawwell and Postecoglou have been able to unearth, with the hope now that the Bhoys can win the race for his signature amid the intense rival interest.