Hatate posts on Instagram – Reo may well be fit for new season

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The Celtic Star

·3 July 2025

Hatate posts on Instagram – Reo may well be fit for new season

Reo Hatate posts on Instagram – might be fit for new season…

Reo Hatate is pictured with the Scottish Premiership trophy after the season s final match against St. Mirren on May 17, 2025. Photo IMAGO

If there are two things that may dominating the minds of the Celtic support over the last month or so – and I’ll wager most of you have been thinking the same – it’s not just who’s coming in the door this transfer window, it’s the fitness of two of Brendan Rodgers’ most vital players: Jota and Reo Hatate.

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But amidst the uncertainty surrounding just how long Jota will be missing, with an assumption it may well be into 2026 until we see him back in the team, there is a flicker – perhaps more than that – of good news from across the globe.

Reo Hatate looks angry. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Reo Hatate, whose season was cruelly ended by a thuggish tackle in the penultimate match of the league at Pittodrie, seems to be on the mend.

The Japanese midfielder, back home during the off-season, has been posting on Instagram taking part in a soccer school in Japan. Now, we’re no doctors – and we’ll wait for the official line from Celtic – but that doesn’t sound like someone sidelined for too much longer.

🔗 Instagram

‘The other day, I held my very first soccer class! It was my first attempt, and there were some things I was not used to, but I received a lot of energy from playing soccer with the kids.

‘Also, this time, I was able to hold the cooking lecture that I wanted to do! My chef spoke about my thoughts and ideas regarding my meals.

‘Furthermore, this time, there were many people who cooperated with the planning, including kindergartens and staff.

‘Thanks to everyone, it became a wonderful event. Thank you very much!’

Of course no-one understates what a fully fit Hatate means to this Celtic team.

Brendan Rodgers knows it too. It’s understood the manager has already made clear to the board how vital Hatate is to his plans going forward. And after what was arguably his most consistent and influential campaign in the Hoops since arriving from Kawasaki Frontale, you’d be hard-pressed to disagree.

Reo Hatate is visibly upset Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Hatate was excellent in long spells last season and improved his consistency too. His ability to dictate the tempo, drive forward from midfield, and thread a pass few others even see, made him the creative spark Celtic’s attacking play. He makes others better – it’s as simple as that. Without him, our midfield can sometime lack creativity. With him, we tick.

But – and there’s always a ‘but’ in the transfer window – there’s the looming threat of those so-called ‘big five’ leagues. And while the Premier League, Serie A or La Liga might come calling, we can only hope Reo sees Celtic as the place where he can hit his true peak.

Reo Hatate of Celtic reacts after scoring his team’s third goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Hibernian FC at Celtic Park on May 10, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

He’s 27 now, entering the prime years of his career. And now, we’re not talking about potential – we’re talking about a player already delivering at a high level, with more still to come. If we can hold on to him, Rodgers has a midfield maestro capable of unlocking defences both domestically and in Europe.

So, for now, we cross fingers. We hope Hatate is not just back to fitness, but back in action during pre-season. We hope Jota’s recovery, slow though it may be, brings him back to the player we know and need. And we hope the board heed the manager’s call to keep our best talents – not cash in.

Reo Hatate at Ibrox. theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

The vultures may circle, but Celtic must stand firm. Keep Hatate, and we keep our rhythm. Lose him, and we’ve a gaping hole to fill.

Niall J

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