Why Liel Abada's Celtic exit is delayed as unusual reason for Charlotte transfer holdup 'revealed'

Abada is set to leave the Hoops for MLS in a deal which could rise to £11m but fans are wondering why it hasn't been announced yet.

Liel Abada is on the verge of sealing his Celtic exit - but there's one minor hurdle left to clear before a move to Charlotte FC gets the green light.

The Israeli winger has been in the US to cross the I's and dot the T's on a move to MLS which Record Sport understands will bank Celtic £8m up front and another £3m in conditional add-ons. Abada leaves against the backdrop of conflict between his homeland and Palestine, during which sections of the Parkhead fanbase have supported the Palestinian cause with flags, banners and chants.

Brendan Rodgers admitted a move away was a possibility and now it is set to go ahead with Abada ready to join Dean Smith's Charlotte as their latest Designated Player. It's believed he passed a medical over the last 24 hours and it's all done, with just one bit of red tape left to clear.

The Scottish Sun report that the announcement has been delayed because Abada still needs to travel back to Israel to get a biometric passport. That's required in order to obtain a work visa for the USA.

Once that is complete, Charlotte are expected to announce his signing with the 22-year-old penning a long-term contract with the North Carolina outfit. His time at Celtic comes to an end with the Hoops making a major profit on the £3.4m they paid to sign him back in 2021, though his former club Maccabi Petah Tikva are due a 20 per cent chunk of the fee. He scored 29 goals in 112 games for Celtic.