Reo Hatate, born on 21 November 1997 in Japan, is a 27-year-old central midfielder currently plying his trade for Celtic Football Club. Hatate, with his stature firmly at 5ft 7in (1.71m) and tipping the scale at 11st (70kg), he expertly animates the number 41 jersey. His skills in the sport have also led him to represent his home country, Japan, at the national level.
Hatate's skill in the midfield is evidently recognised within the market, with his current value being approximately €13.00m (£11m rounded to the nearest 0.5m), according to Transfermarkt.
Prior to joining Celtic, he played for Kawasaki Frontale in the J1 League in Japan. Starting in August 2018, his initial season marked by a singular league appearance. However, Hatate elevated his game with subsequent seasons, with his appearances rising steadily to 31 in 2020 and 30 in 2021, in which he scored five goals each season.
Celtic spotted talent within Hatate and transferred him from Kawasaki Frontale to Scotland for a fee of around £1.4m in January 2022. He quickly began proving his worth within the European football landscape. His debut season at Celtic in 2021-2022 saw him making 17 appearances and scoring four goals. The following seasons have only seen him thrive further, with the 2022-2023 season documenting 32 appearances and six goals, and the 2023-2024 season recording 16 appearances and three goals. A crescendoing season was 2024-2025, with Hatate making 37 appearances and scoring ten goals. Currently, in season 2025-2026 at Celtic, Hatate has made five first team appearances and scored one goal.
Not restricted purely to league football, Hatate's Champions League debut arrived in the 2023-2024 season with Celtic, where he made three starts. Further cup competitions such as the League Cup 2025-2026, saw him deliver one start for Celtic, and the Scottish Cup 2024-2025 providing three starts and one substitute appearance. On an international stage, Hatate represented Japan in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024-2026, marking one start and two substitute appearances. Furthermore, his performances in the Champions League Qualifiers 2025-2026 for Celtic saw two starts, alongside Europa League 2025-2026 contributions of one start and one appearance as a substitute for Celtic.
