Reo Hatate has joined fellow Celtic teammate Daizen Maeda in receiving a heroes welcome in Japan at his previous side Kawasaki Frontale.
The 24-year old was one of three players who left their home country to join Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side back in the January transfer window.
Hatate made a brilliant start to life at Celtic, playing a crucial role in the Hoops title charge, scoring key goals against the likes of Hearts and Glasgow rivals Rangers.
The midfielder left his old club, who are currently the leaders at the top of the J-League, off the back of winning the league title in December.
This afternoon he made his first return to Kawasaki since joining Celtic and received a heroes welcome in front of the home crowd, thanking the club for their part to play in where he is now.
Of course, Hatate wasn’t the only Celtic player to receive this sort of reception this afternoon, as Daizen Maeda was given a send-off by former club Yokohama F Marinos after his move to Glasgow was officially completed earlier in the week.
A classy send-off for Reo Hatate
A similar send-off was given to Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi when he joined the club last summer. So, it just goes to show how well-respected these players are in their home nation.
Hatate was arguably the most highly-rated player on his arrival in Glasgow, with rave reviews coming from Japan when he officially joined Ange Postecoglou’s side.
He certainly didn’t disappoint in his early appearances, playing his part in delivering the Premiership title.
Towards the end of the campaign, the midfielder’s performance dropped off a little. However, it was understandable given just how football he has played over the last 18 months.
This summer is now a good chance for Hatate to rest and recuperate before coming back even better next season.
In other news, Report: The interesting position Ange wants Celtic recruitment team to bolster.
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