Celtic are said to be willing to offload a player who has been a steady regular over recent years. The Bhoys ended the season with a double, but were far from consistent for much of the campaign, and whoever is in charge this summer is likely to want squad changes.
Martin O'Neill has been tipped to stay on after his successful interim spell, but talks are ongoing, and the veteran boss has admitted it may be tricky for him to manage the energy required to run the day-to-day at Parkhead.
Whatever happens on the managerial front, it seems likely squad changes will take place this summer to ensure next season's squad is refreshed, and there is already talk of an exit.
Hatate's days are numbered
Reo Hatate has been a steady regular since arriving at the club in 2022 for a bargain £1.4million. The midfielder has made 132 league appearances, scoring 25 times, and he made 47 appearances across all competitions during the season just gone.
But he was in and out of the starting lineup under O'Neill, and the 28-year-old may now be allowed to leave the club as part of a squad refresh. Football Insider say the Bhoys will accept an offer this summer, if one arrives, reportedly viewing this summer as the best opportunity they will get to cash in.
Hatate was one of the club's best players during the 2024/25 season, so it would be surprising if Celtic were to sell, given there is every chance the Japan international could get basck to his best, but there is a financial component, and there has been talk of Premier League interest in the past.
Hatate's stock may have fallen to prevent such a move this summer, but it is still likely Celtic will make a significant profit, given the bargain fee they paid to land the midfielder and his progress since.
O'Neill on Hatate's drop-off
Speking in late April about Hatate's recent drop-off, O'Neill said: "Reo is a fine footballer. I think two seasons ago, he’d be one of the best in Scotland really. Midfield players tend to go through these little periods where you can’t do anything wrong. But you make three or four mistakes in a match in relatively quick succession, and then you lose a bit of confidence and things like that.
"But he’ll be around at this minute. You’re hoping that the competition for places… you’ve got Arne [Engels] coming back now from injury, and you’ve got Alex [Oxlade-Chamberlain] trying to get up to speed all the time and making an impact.
"Even if he [Oxlade-Chamberlain] never kicked another ball for us, he’s won two matches for us by scoring the goals. Part of me is actually quite pleased that it’s been hard for players to pick up the speed here. Because sometimes people think [Scottish football] will be easy.”
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