The nimble-footed midfielder, Reo Hatate, hails from the far East, born in the sequestered realm of Japan on the 21st of November, 1997. Standing at 5ft 7in (1.71m), with a weight of approximately 11st (70kg), Hatate has emerged as a central figure of prowess on the Celtic pitch, donning the number 41 jersey with panache. His skills have not been limited to the confines of his club, as Hatate has also donned the Japanese national kit on several accounts.
His performance and technical abilities have reportedly taken quite an upward surge, stashing away a current market value of approximately £10m, according to information from Transfermarkt.
Tracing his journey back to August 2018, Hatate was absorbed into the J1 League fold in Japan by Kawasaki Frontale. His debut season in 2019 saw him making a single first team appearance in league matches. In stark contrast, 2020 and 2021 saw him bedazzle the pitch for 31 and 30 first team appearances respectively, each complemented with five net ripples.
However, the climax of his story happened in the chill of January 2022, when he shifted his loyalties from the J1 League to the Scottish Premiership, as Celtic welcomed him aboard for a fee of around £1.4m.
Hatate, on Celtic's home turf, has amassed quite a record: in his debut season 2021-2022, he made 17 first team appearances accompanied by four goals. The following season unfolded with 32 appearances and six goals. Although the 2023-2024 season saw a dip in his stint with 16 appearances and three goals, Hatate bounced back in the next season with 37 appearances and, to top it off, ten impressive goals. The current season, 2025-2026, has seen him making 25 appearances with two goals to his credit as of now.
The League Cup 2025-2026 witnessed Hatate scoring once across two starts and a substitute appearance for Celtic. He held a similar count for appearances in the Scottish Cup 2025-2026. Representing Japan in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024-2026, Hatate made one start along with two substitute appearances. The Champions League Qualifiers 2025-2026 saw him start twice for Celtic, whereas the Europa League during the same period had him starting six times, coming in three times as a substitute, and striking three goals to his tally.
