Barry Ferguson has lauded the qualities of Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate and how he has got ‘everything’ in his locker.
With the 2023 summer transfer window slammed shut, Celtic fans are hopeful that Reo Hatate will put pen-to-paper on a new contract and join his fellow Japanese stars in Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda in doing so.
Ange Postecoglou can’t be thanked enough for bringing a man of Reo Hatate’s dynamism to Glasgow because, as Barry Ferguson mentioned, when he is fit, he is a ‘top midfielder’, as he told Go Radio.
Everyone saw the 25-year-old produce magic in the middle of the park during the Treble-winning season, with Brendan Rodgers yet to properly work with the player.
Injuries have been behind that, but he came off the bench during the win over Dundee at the weekend and, hopefully, he is ready to put his foot on the accelerator in what is a heavy fixture load during these coming months.
Perhaps not ready to start against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, but nonetheless, he will be a key player if the Bhoys are to progress to the knockout stages.
Reo Hatate praise
“As a player, he (Hatate) is so important to Celtic,” said Ferguson. “Brendan Rodgers says ‘it’s up to the club’ (about signing a new contract).
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“But I am sure, he will be on the club to make sure they get this done. There’s no doubt.
“It has been a bit of a stop-start season. But when he is fully fit, he is a top midfielder. He has got everything. A really good range of passing. He can get about the pitch and he can score goals.
“I am sure Celtic will be absolutely desperate to get him tied to a new contract.”
Reo Hatate is a valuable asset
Just like Kyogo this summer, every Celt wants the key players signed up to stay at the club for the long term.
But given the finances outside of Scotland, then there needs to be an acceptance that, if the Premier League door knocks, it has to be opened.
This is where Celtic need to protect themselves and ensure Hatate’s future is sorted because, purely from a business sense, he is a very valuable member of the club.