Andy Halliday speaks sense as he concedes Celtic midfielder is better than Nicolas Raskin

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Andy Halliday has admitted Reo Hatate is a better player than Rangers hero Nicolas Raskin on his day.

The Celtic midfielder has turned out to be an outstanding piece of business having joined the club for just £1.4m under Ange Postecoglou.

Hatate has gone on to make 152 appearances, scoring 28 goals and providing 28 assists, making him one of Celtic’s most creative sparks.

The 27-year-old, however, hasn’t been at his best this season. Hatate has played 10 games but has found the net just once and is yet to register an assist.

Chris Sutton thinks Hatate is ‘miles off it’ at the moment, but Halliday does still believe that the Japanese star is the best midfielder in the Scottish Premiership.

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Halliday admits Reo Hatate is better than Raskin

Halliday was initially asked by a fan on an Open Goal livestream if Hatate is a better player than Rangers midfielder Raskin if both were playing at the top of their game.

Just a week before, Halliday said Hatate is the best in Scotland when it comes to midfielders, and he did not budge from that viewpoint.

However, he warned that Hatate could lose that status this season given his poor form so far for Celtic.

Halliday: “On their game, Reo Hatate or Raskin?

Si Ferry: “Hatate.”

Paul Slane: “Hatate.”

Halliday: “I’ve said multiple times, I think Hatate is the best midfielder in the league. But I tell you what, he’s very quickly going to lose that status because he’s been poor this year. But aye, I think on his game, he’s the best.”

Why has Hatate struggled for Celtic this season?

Given his unusually poor stats for the Hoops this season, something isn’t quite right with Hatate’s mindset.

Is he in the same school of thought as countryman Daizen Maeda, who wanted to leave Celtic in the summer but was denied an exit?

Paul Slane shared a few weeks ago that he feels Hatate also wants to depart Parkhead, especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon.

Hatate may be in danger of missing out for Japan due to his current form, which may in turn jeopardise his chances of playing in a higher league.

In 2024, Celtic rejected a £10m bid from an unnamed Ligue 1 club for Hatate, while in the same year, he admitted playing in the Premier League was his ultimate goal.