Celtic have reached an agreement with Kawasaki Frontale to sign Reo Hatate, Hochi Sports in Japan has reported this evening.
Hatate has been a reported Celtic target for quite a while but this is the first time an agreement between the clubs has been reported by an outlet on either side of the world.
After winning the league with Frontale in Japan this year, Hatate had hoped to make it a double in the Emperor’s Cup this month. Sadly for him though, his side crashed out of the competition after a semi-final penalty shoot-out today.
That has apparently cleared the way for Celtic and his club to finally thrash out terms, with Hatate widely expected to make the switch to Glasgow in early January.
It’s an exciting start to Celtic’s transfer business, but we could be left waiting on an announcement. Football Scotland reported earlier this week that deals may not be made public until January 1st.
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However, that leaves the Bhoys plenty of time to integrate any new signings into the squad for the second half of the season. There is a winter break in January that serves as the perfect opportunity to bed talents like Hatate in.
“Hatate and Kyogo should form an amazing partnership” | Japanese football expert Sam Robson
Hatate is a versatile player who can play defensively on the flank as well as further forward. Japanese football expert Sam Roberts told 67 Hail Hail this weekend he is best deployed in support of attacks.
Most importantly he’s a player Ange clearly knows and wants in his team. It will be brilliant to see how he fits into the way Celtic are playing football this season.
Keep your fingers crossed the rest of this deal goes through without a hitch.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou’s full quote on Kyogo’s Celtic cup final chances.