Unexpected twist in Celtic’s Reo Hatate transfer chase

Celtic have been linked with several J1 League stars in recent weeks as potential targets for the upcoming January transfer window. And with the Japanese footballing season coming to an end before Christmas, that might very well be the perfect time for the Hoops to sign players from the league. One of the players Ange Postecoglou’s side have been linked with heavily is Kawasaki Frontale’s Reo Hatate.

Hatate has been a standout performer in the J1 League this season and many believe is ready to make a move to Europe now. Celtic can provide him the opportunity to do just that.

At first the move had looked quite straight forward as it was believed that Hatate’s current deal was set to run out at the end of January. There have been rumours about a transfer fee being involved though, which has made matters a bit confusing.

Now, it appears that Hatate’s current contract might not be up early next year. Journalist Dan Orlowitz tweeted out Japanese media’s updates on the situation and it looks like the Japanese star’s current deal might run through 2022 at least:

Celtic to Hatate transfer saga has taken an unexpected twist

The initial feeling surrounding this deal was that it was not going to be a huge task for the Hoops, as Hatate’s contract was set to come to an end soon.

But now, with this recent twist, it is pretty clear that it might not be as simple for Celtic as many had been thinking.

Hatate could be a solid addition to this Celtic squad if the club can get a deal over the line as the versatile Japanese star has shown the ability to play several roles with equal ease through the course of his time with Kawasaki Frontale. Now, it will be interesting to see if they can bring him to Parkhead this January.