Reo Hatate May Stay at Celtic — Turns Down Offers from Greece, Austria, and MLS

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Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate looked all but certain to leave the club this summer, but the possibility of him staying has suddenly emerged. British media report that he has turned down offers from Greece, Austria, and MLS, and that he himself hasn’t given up hope of a move to one of Europe’s top-5 leagues.

On 5ch, this “bold gamble” drew a mix of hopeful and harshly critical reactions.

MF Reo Hatate, who previously played for Kawasaki Frontale, looked set to leave Celtic this summer, but the possibility of him staying has now emerged. He’s already drawn interest from England’s second-tier West Ham United and Greek top-flight side Panathinaikos, with rumors of a move to Kashima Antlers as well — but unlike forward Kyogo Furuhashi (LA Galaxy), he has turned down a move to MLS (America’s Major League Soccer). A move to the Middle East is also said to be possible.

British outlet the Herald reported on the 17th that “Reo Hatate has turned down offers from Greece, Austria, and MLS.” The player, who is out of manager Martin O’Neill’s plans, has reportedly received offers worth several million pounds, and has also drawn interest from Middle Eastern clubs.

The same outlet also reported that “Hatate is eager to challenge himself in one of Europe’s top-5 leagues.” The article also touches on the background behind his rejection of offers from multiple clubs, writing that “Hatate, who has been left out of the matchday squad for weeks since the transfer window opened without being given playing time, is waiting on offers from other clubs and has shown he’s willing to bet on getting his chance at Celtic.”

Source: news.jp / Original article here

4Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:41:38.06ID:HajoBFg30
His first match after the transfer was the peak.
The local praise and expectations for his future were off the charts.
90Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:32:21.54ID:MdrviMfH0
>>4
Just going by that one match, he looked like a star (lol)
5Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:41:45.56ID:k8UlWdQ10
Isn't he overestimating his own ability?
7Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:42:25.69ID:JNbHeJfr0
It's rough that the lack of offers itself shows he's got no shot at a top-5 league.
It's basically like being told 'this is as far as you go as a player.'
9Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:45:01.73ID:MaY6c8ym0
His play is just careless.
First it's 50/50 whether a teammate is even there.
Then on top of that it's 50/50 whether the pass actually gets to them.
It's less that his field of vision is narrow and more that the whole concept of 'vision' barely exists for him.
10Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:45:07.08ID:IgInVJq/0
Is this guy the type to sulk pretty easily?
14Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:48:34.03ID:JJ50xv5y0
>>10
Don't know about his Kawasaki days, but at Celtic his play has been unstable.
68Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 08:42:28.17ID:K5m+8WBu0
>>10
During one international break he wasn't used in either of the 2 matches and blew a fuse.
There's footage of (national team manager) Moriyasu looking flustered because of it.
I think that's when he stopped getting called up to the national team.
12Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:47:49.03ID:JJ50xv5y0
Hatate's been a sub since last season, so I doubt any notable offers will come in.
If anything, it'll probably be a free transfer once his contract runs out.
13Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:48:06.05ID:v/dnHusS0
Austria's level is probably higher, so he should just take the step up.
Better than being frozen out at Celtic.
15Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:48:50.93ID:TvP6rtE20
Feels like Hatate suddenly dropped in the pecking order — did something happen?
19Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:55:24.07ID:q+KB/Att0
>>15
The word is his performances have been inconsistent.
16Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:53:13.79ID:D2oOaM3u0
He's been ripped apart by the local media and fans and clearly doesn't fit in with the team, yet he still wants to stay — impressive.
20Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:56:29.66ID:SEjC87fa0
>>1
Son of a PL Gakuen (a famous Osaka high school baseball powerhouse) player
If he'd played baseball he'd be a major leaguer
21Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:56:50.54ID:dbAOYxgZ0
He should've just gone to West Ham and bet on getting promoted.
22Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:57:12.78ID:NcAD3Lvm0
'MF Reo Hatate, who previously played for Kawasaki Frontale…' — this kind of intro isn't even necessary.
Even a middle schooler's essay would be written better than that.
23Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:57:27.78ID:BnEHlKKw0
He's out of the squad plans at Celtic and still has 2 years left on his contract — a move to a top-5 league just isn't happening.
A comeback to the national team at this point is probably impossible too, so he might as well go make one last payday in the Middle East.
49Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:27:05.70ID:86pTbAeN0
>>23
I think so too.
Once he chose Celtic, he should just accept it's a money-first career from here on.
24Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 06:59:17.08ID:T1R3B2xP0
I'd think he'd jump at West Ham, but that part's probably just an unconfirmed rumor.
34Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:08:14.84ID:xD2YRVTv0
>>24
I feel like Celtic bought a player from them for big money just last week, so I think that's just a rumor.
25Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:00:55.60ID:XE7BDqNA0
Never thought Maeda would end up being the most successful of those four.
Still better than Ideguchi, whose name you don't even see anymore though.
26Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:04:51.62ID:INmJpn6D0
Turning down a move to a Championship club to stay in Scotland is just dumb, honestly (lol)
28Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:05:37.60ID:GF7GKiz/0
Oh, so it's his surname?
Not 'Reo, the flag-bearer' (旗手/hatate is also the Japanese word for 'standard-bearer')
33Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:08:06.82ID:Z731YJRt0
Seems like he'd have low social skills.
Never smiles either.
Doesn't seem like the type teammates would really warm to.
37Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:11:04.04ID:2o2GWLm/0
>>33
I've only ever seen photos of him scowling and standing alone.
Though that might just be the media cutting things to look bad on purpose.
38Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 07:11:25.40ID:2H534c4Z0
Celtic itself isn't that bad a club.
Furuhashi went on to Rennes and Birmingham after all.
It's just that Hatate doesn't have enough ability and got pushed out.
99Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:55:16.09ID:JJ50xv5y0
>>38
If he plays well his value shoots up fast, which is bad if he's aiming for a top-5 league.
It'd be fine if he did what Yokota did — play in the German 2nd division (Bundesliga 2) first.
60Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 08:03:06.54ID:AP5+m5tq0
West Ham's fine, isn't it?
He's not getting used at Celtic anymore anyway.
61Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 08:08:33.88ID:TpudxxcY0
>>60
You're seriously underestimating West Ham, man.
62Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 08:11:32.37ID:ZnS0z70U0
He shouldn't have signed a contract extension.
63Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 08:14:41.97ID:e29IP/kM0
>>62
Well, he got blinded by the money, I guess.
Though even on a free transfer to the J.League he'd probably still get around 300 million yen (~$2M).
75Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:03:31.66ID:4n2J2HTT0
If he's just going to sit on the bench in Scotland, the J.League would be 100 times better.
77Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:06:16.80ID:e29IP/kM0
>>75
Better to sit on the bench and get paid a fortune, no?
80Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:19:33.21ID:g5ZJ8Xbh0
Going to Celtic kind of leaves the rest of your career in limbo.
You look impressive while you're doing well at Celtic, but once you move elsewhere, reality hits.
83Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:22:41.82ID:VzmYw85M0
>>80
So Celtic's like the Dragon Palace, huh (a mythical undersea palace from folklore where you lose track of time and reality).
100Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 09:55:33.38ID:DiASLCMN0
Wait, he turned down the Hammers (West Ham's nickname)? Isn't his self-assessment way too high?
104Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 10:01:43.64ID:JJ50xv5y0
>>100
Look again.
It's Greece, Austria, and MLS.
103Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 10:00:36.88ID:Tgz7xrWd0
Going from Celtic straight to a top-5 league is really overreaching.
Even Furuhashi only ended up at a lower-table French club.
106Anonymous2026/08/19(水) 10:09:24.32ID:JJ50xv5y0
>>103
Rennes is one of the wealthier clubs in Ligue 1, so Furuhashi's case is a bit different.
If Hatate wants to play in a top-5 league, his only real shot is an 'elevator club' (one that bounces between divisions) like Bundesliga's St. Pauli (Fujita, Ando, Hara) or Ligue 1's Le Havre (Seko, Mizuta, Nakamura-Sou).
All six of those players moved on free transfers or for cheap fees, so coming from Celtic makes it tough.

*This article is an excerpt and summary based on the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Sokuho+) thread “[Soccer] Reo Hatate may stay at Celtic! Turns down three offers, ‘eager to challenge one of Europe’s top-5 leagues’! Middle East move also emerging“.

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