Celtic have had a mixed summer transfer window till now. On one hand, they have brought in exciting talents like Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio. On the other, they have seen Jota leave the club in order to join Al-Ittihad. The unexpected announcement of Kyogo extending his deal has come as a major relief, following the exit of the Portuguese winger.
Of course, plenty of other Celtic players have been linked with moves away from the club. And that should not come as a surprise, considering how much success the Hoops have enjoyed over the past couple of seasons, winning five out of six domestic competitions and playing in the Champions League group stage in the previous campaign as well.
Reo Hatate is one player who has been heavily linked with a move away from Celtic in recent weeks and months. Clubs like Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur have been mentioned as possible destinations.
There have been some links with a move to Al-Ittihad as well. But if some of Hatate’s recent comments are anything to go by, that might not be on the cards.
Hatate sends clear message amid Celtic exit rumours
As reported by the Daily Record, when asked where he wants to play by DAZN, Hatate said:
"“At a high level such as the Premier League. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime stage, so if I can play, I’d like to take on the challenge. But right now, the top priority is to do what I need to do in the team I’m in, so I’d like to do my best.”"
It remains to be seen how things play out for Hatate this summer. He is certainly one of Celtic’s most important players, especially after the exit of Jota.
Hatate arrived in the summer of 2021 from Kawasaki Frontale and has been a starter ever since. He has been one of the best players in the Scottish Premiership during that period of time and has not looked out of place in the Champions League either, even when up against opposition like Real Madrid and RB Leipzig. Thus, one would hope that he remains at Parkhead.