With the Premiership title race heading for a frantic finale, Scottish champions Celtic gambled in the January transfer window, bringing in six new faces to bolster Martin O’Neill‘s struggling side.
There are certainly shades of 2022 about that chaotic month, with Ange Postecoglou memorably acquiring a string of new additions himself in the mid-season window, all of which seemed like relative left-field moves at the time.
Among those to have the more immediate impact that season was Reo Hatate, the diminutive Japanese midfielder memorably lashing in twice on his derby debut in February 2022, one of the most buoyant nights Parkhead has seen both before or since in the modern era.
Celtic looked to be playing a different sport to Rangers at the time, such was the fluidity and relentless quality of Postecoglou’s approach, with Hatate – signed for just £1.1m – very much emerging as front and centre of it.
Four years on, however, that infectious talent appears to be drifting now in green and white, heading toward what appears an inevitable summer outcome.
Why Reo Hatate needs to be sold this summer
Every summer feels like a seismic one for Celtic, although 2026 truly could be vital for the future of the club, with the Parkhead hierarchy needing to right the wrongs of recent years, and finally oversee a significant squad overhaul.
Having already rejected a £25m bid from Nottingham Forest for club-record signing, Arne Engels, on deadline day, an eventual exit at the end of the season could well be on the cards for the young Belgian, provided such interest is maintained.
As for Hatate, amid reported interest from clubs in Brazil following the deadline, the 28-year-old could well follow Engels out the door, having looked so far from his best this season.
With just three goal involvements in the Premiership to date, the former Kawasaki Frontale man is a far cry from the midfield terrier who rocked up in Glasgow in 2022, having endured another difficult night in midweek against Livingston.
Once again included among O’Neill’s substitutes, Hatate did enter the fray early on following Engels’ withdrawal through injury, albeit while proceeding to produce an abject display, hauling down Robbie Muirhead to gift the visitors a route back into the game.
In the view of ex-Celtic hero, Chris Sutton, the playmaker is now ‘barely worth a place in the squad‘ considering his long-standing dip and apparent disinterest, with even O’Neill having pointed to the need for Hatate to forget about any exit talk.
Distracted or on the decline, it’s fair to say that the midfielder is among the more high-profile players who need to be moved on this summer.
Celtic could cash on another Hatate in Parkhead’s most valuable player
As stated above, there’s so much to sort out this summer, be it the futures of Celtic’s succession of loan signings, or that of Engels and Hatate’s place in the squad.
As bad as Hatate: O’Neill must drop Celtic star who made 6 passes vs Livi
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the hero for Celtic on Wednesday night, with Reo Hatate having almost been the villain.
Once so vital, 2025/26 has proven that the latter man’s importance is beginning to wane, with hopes already high for what debutant hero, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, can achieve following his free transfer arrival.
A changing of the guard might be occurring then in midfield, while the same is also true on the flanks, with Daizen Maeda looking like a far cry from the player who dazzled both domestically and in Europe last season.
Part of that winter 2022 cohort, alongside Hatate, the 28-year-old has been a revelation in Scottish football since then, with 2024/25 undoubtedly seeing the rampant winger at the peak of his powers, scoring 33 times in all competitions.
As O’Neill has admitted, that form led to the Japan international coming close to a move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg over the summer, with even Brendan Rodgers suggesting that Michel Ange Balikwisha had been signed amid the belief that Maeda would be on his way.
The in-demand speedster has ultimately been kept on board through the summer and January, although, like Hatate, the end of the season might represent the perfect time to part ways, following a rocky campaign on a collective and individual basis.
After last season’s highs, Maeda has still scored seven Premiership goals this time around, albeit with just one of those coming in his last nine outings, against Dundee United.
|
Maeda – 24/25 vs 25/26 SPFL stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (*per game) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Games |
23 |
34 |
|
Goals |
7 |
16 |
|
Assists |
5 |
10 |
|
Mins per goal |
261 |
160 |
|
Goal conversion |
16% |
28% |
|
Big chances missed |
17 |
17 |
|
Big chances created |
11 |
10 |
|
Key passes* |
1.2 |
1.3 |
|
Succ. dribbles* |
0.6 |
0.7 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
2.7 |
2.1 |
Like Hatate, his body language was called into question following a muted celebration after scoring in that 4-0 thrashing, with it hard to shake the feeling that he has checked out somewhat.
There was a more vibrant display against Livi on Wednesday, although Celtic’s real attacking threat came from Sebastian Tounekti, the Tunisian now boasting three goals and assists across his last two outings.
It’s early days, yet perhaps that’s a sign of the pair’s changing status, with Maeda’s drop off ensuring this summer should well be the time to cash in, not least considering a profit could be made on the most valuable player in the squad right now, as per Transfermarkt, with a value of €14m (£12m).
Maeda, like Hatate, has been such an astute signing for the Hoops in recent years, yet all good things must come to an end, with Celtic needing to ensure that an exit is on their terms – and for the right price.
Forget Tounekti: Celtic star is looking like another Jota in the making
Celtic have another exciting loan sensation who certainly deserves a permanent stay.
