Who is Reo Hatate? Get to know Celtic’s £10m rated Japanese midfield maestro

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Reo Hatate was a complete unknown when Ange Postecoglou signed him for Celtic midway through the 2021/22 season.

Now, he is renowned all over Europe for his tremendous vision and superb passing ability which is capable of unlocking most defences.

He’s been at the heart of Celtic’s midfield for around three-and-a-half years and is now valued at £10m at least, with Serie A’s Udinese seemingly taking an interest.

Hatate has been in great form this season so it’s no wonder the central midfielder is attracting some attention, as was the case in the summer of 2024.

Here is absolutely everything you need to know about Celtic’s Reo Hatate as we answer all of your frequently asked questions.

What age is Reo Hatate?

Reo Hatate was born on November 21, 1997 in Suzuka, Mie, Japan.

He came through the youth and college ranks at FC Yokkaichi and Juntendo University respectively before signing a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale in 2019.

As of September 2025, Hatate is 27 years old.

What is Hatate’s height?

Hatate stands 1.73 metres / 5 feet 8 inches tall.

Does Reo Hatate have a wife?

There is very little public knowledge about Hatate’s relationship status and whether he has a girlfriend/wife or not.

Hatate’s Celtic song lyrics

Reo Hatate’s song is to the tune of the chorus for Earth & Fire’s song ‘Weekend’, which was released in 1979. You may also know the tune from Scooter’s 2003 hit ‘Weekend!’.

Hey oh Reo Hatate

The Celtic get excited when we see you play

It’s strange that this feeling grows more and more

We’ve never had a player like you before…

Repeat

Reo Hatate’s Celtic contract & salary

View every Celtic player’s weekly wages.

• Weekly wage: £16,000
• Annual salary: £832,000
• Contract expires: June 2028

Hatate stats for Celtic

Is Reo Hatate being linked with a Celtic transfer exit?

Yes, ever since the summer of 2023, speculation surrounding Hatate’s future has escalated.

After Ange Postecoglou moved to manage Tottenham Hotspur, Hatate was linked with following his old Celtic manager to North London.

In August 2024, an unnamed French club reportedly offered Celtic £10m to buy Hatate, but the bid was swiftly turned down.

More recently, Udinese were said to be interested in signing Hatate from the Hoops.

Does Hatate speak English?

Hatate admitted in November 2024 that he is continuing to learn the English language, and confessed that understanding Scottish dialect has been difficult.

After making his 100th Celtic appearance, he said: “The accent is definitely tough. During matches, when I communicate with my teammates, they often abbreviate my message and respond ten times faster than expected, which can be hard to understand.

“But I have realised how crucial it is to communicate effectively on the pitch. It made me feel strongly that I need to keep studying English to communicate better with the team.”

How much did Celtic pay to sign Reo Hatate?

Celtic agreed a £1.4m fee with Kawasaki Frontale on December 31, 2021 to sign Hatate. The deal was then finalised in the January transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou was the manager in charge at the time. The Aussie-Greek also bought Japanese forwards Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda that season.

Why does Hatate wear a gum shield?

Celtic fans will know that Hatate always wears a blue gum shield when playing for the club.

Not only does this protect Hatate’s teeth and mouth, but it provides a whole host of other benefits, as explained below by X user @schan0725 in February 2023.

In the same month, Hatate told Japanese fans that he “cannot play without the mouthpiece” and that “he would not change the colour of the gum shield.”