Reo Hatate, born on the 21st of November 1997, is a Japanese footballer who plays primarily as a central midfielder for Celtic. Hatate, a nip at 5ft 7in (1.71m) and weighing 11st (70kg), dons the number 41 jersey for the Bhoys. He has also had the honour of representing his native Japan on the international stage.
Hatate's current market value is estimated to be around £10m, according to figures provided by football data website, Transfermarkt.
In August of 2018, Hatate began his professional career at Kawasaki Frontale in the J1 League in his native Japan. His first season saw him make a solitary league appearance, but as the seasons rolled on, Hatate became increasingly instrumental for the team, netting five goals in both his second and third seasons from 31 and 30 appearances respectively.
In January 2022, Celtic saw the potential in the Japanese midfielder and secured a transfer deal from Kawasaki Frontale for a fee amounting to £1.4m. Hatate saw action swiftly, making 17 league appearances and scoring four goals in his debut Scottish season of 2021-22. In subsequent seasons Hatate upped his appearances as well as his contributions to the Celtic's goal tally, peppering the opponents' net with increasing frequency. The 2022-23 season saw him make 32 appearances and score six goals while the 2023-24 season saw him score three from 16 appearances. The 2024-25 season was a standout one for him as he scored ten from 37 games. In the current season of 2025-26, Hatate has netted once from 19 appearances.
In addition to his league action, Hatate has contributed to Celtic's cup challenges, scoring a goal across two starts in the League Cup 2025-26. He has also played in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024-26 for Japan and the Champions League and Europa League qualifiers for Celtic during the 2025-26 campaign, where he managed to score two goals in the continental competition from six appearances.
