Reo Hatate, born on 21 November 1997 in Japan, is a 26-year-old midfielder known for his performances in the central part of the pitch. Since his transfer to Celtic, he has become a familiar face in a number 41 jersey on the Celtic turf. With a height of 5ft 7in (1.71m) and weighing 11st (70kg), his presence on the field is as imposing as his talent is extraordinary.
As of now, his market value stands around £8.5m according to Transfermarkt. His current contract with Celtic is set to expire on 31 May 2028, with a good three years and eight months still left to run.
Hatate began his professional journey in August 2018, when Kawasaki Frontale of the J1 League in Japan decided to take a chance on him. In his debut season, he made only one first team appearance in league matches, hinting at the potential that was still untapped. It wasn't until the 2020 season that he started to make a significant impact, making 31 first team appearances and scoring five goals. This form carried over into the following year when he made another 30 first team appearances, again netting five goals.
After a strong showing at Kawasaki Frontale, Hatate transferred to Celtic in the Premiership in Scotland for a fee of around £1.4m in January 2022. In his maiden season at Celtic, Hatate made 17 league appearances, scoring four goals, a respectable tally for a midfielder. The following 2022-2023 season saw him make 32 league appearances and improve his goal tally to six. Despite making just 16 appearances in the 2023-2024 season, he managed to score three goals. In the current 2024-2025 season, Hatate has already made seven first team appearances and scored two goals.
Beyond his league exploits, Hatate has also made his mark in Celtic's cup and Champions League runs. He participated in the Champions League 2023 - 2024 with three starts for Celtic, the League Cup 2024 - 2025 with two starts, the Scottish Cup 2023 - 2024 with two starts, and the Champions League 2024 - 2025 with one start and one appearance as a substitute. It's clear that Hatate's journey in Celtic's colours is far from over, and many more exciting chapters await.
