Reo Hatate, born on 21 November 1997 (age 28) in Suzuka, Mie, is a compact Japanese midfielder who has become one of the more important Celtic players of the modern era. He joined Celtic from Kawasaki Frontale in January 2022 for around £1.5m, arriving with a strong grounding in Japanese football and quickly finding a role in the middle of the park.
Celtic has shaped his senior career. Wearing squad number 41, Hatate has made 130 league appearances across five seasons, scoring 25 goals. His best league return came in 2024–25, when he scored 10 times in 37 appearances, a fair reflection of the way he can influence games without always looking especially tidy while doing it.
He remains a regular first-team presence in 2025–26. Across all competitions this season he has made 45 appearances and scored six goals, including 28 league appearances and two league goals, three League Cup outings with one goal, three Scottish Cup appearances, two in Champions League qualifying, and nine in the Europa League with three goals. His form has been solid, though he has been out of the matchday squad recently, with his last appearance coming in the 1-0 win over St Mirren on 11 April 2026.
Hatate has won three Premiership titles, two League Cups and two Scottish Cups with Celtic, which says enough about the period he has been part of. His current market value is around £8.5m, according to Transfermarkt. Still at Celtic, still relevant, and still capable of giving the midfield a different rhythm, his career is now firmly tied to what he has done in Glasgow.
