Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate, a noteworthy part of Celtic's squad, was born on 21 November 1997 and spent the larger part of his early career in his homeland at Kawasaki Frontale in the J1 League. At a relatively diminutive stature of 5ft 7in (1.71m) and weighing 11st (70kg), his physique does not make him a traditional physical powerhouse in the midfield battleground; however, his skill set is not diminished by this fact as he mostly operates in a central midfield position.
Having been a Kawasaki Frontale player since August 2018, Hatate didn't make an immediate first-team entry, with only a solitary league appearance in the 2019 season to his name. However, his obvious talent couldn't be kept on the bench for long and the resulting seasons saw him become a mainstay in the Kawasaki Frontale lineup. In the 2020 season, he clocked in 31 appearances, netting five goals. His form persisted in the subsequent 2021 season, accruing another 30 appearances and matching his goal tally from the previous season.
His domestic performances warranted international attention, which culminated in Celtic swooping in for the midfielder. His transfer to the Scottish club was finalised in January 2022 for a consideration of around £1.4 million, as per his market value listed on Transfermarkt.
The move to Celtic began a significant chapter in Hatate's professional career. The rest of the 2021-2022 season saw him make 17 appearances and score four goals. The subsequent seasons saw an increased role for Hatate, earning 32 and 16 appearances in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons respectively. Notably, his attacking output also increased with Hatate managing to find the back of the net on six occasions in the 2022-2023 season, and three times in the following 2023-2024 season. In the 2024-2025 season, he had his most productive outing in a Celtic jersey. Not only did he make an impressive 37 appearances, but he also netted 10 times. As for the current season (2025-2026), Hatate has already made 19 appearances, with a single goal to show for it.
Hatate is no stranger to the big stage either. In terms of competitive matches, the midfielder participated in the League Cup 2025-2026, managing a goal from two starts and a substitution appearance, for Celtic. Additionally, he featured in the Scottish Cup 2025-2026 as a substitute. Internationally, he has also seen action in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024-2026 for Japan with one start and two substitute appearances. His European adventures have seen him grace the Champions League Qualifiers 2025-2026, scoring two goals in two starts, and the Europa League 2025-2026, where he scored two more goals in a combined six appearances as a starter and a substitute. Overall, Hatate's Celtic career has been filled with promising performances, and his continued contributions are observed with anticipation.
