REO HATATE could join compatriot Daizen Maeda across the border within the next week or so.
With the jet-heeled Japanese frontman about to join newly-promoted Ipswich Town in a deal worth £10million to Celtic, the midfielder appears to be heading for recently-relegated West Ham.
The Londoners are undergoing a squad revamp after last season’s disappointment and boss Nuno Espirito Santo reportedly sees Hatate as an ideal replacement for Lucas Paqueta who left the Premier League strugglers in a £35.5million move to Flamengo in January.
The Hammers missed the middle-of-the-park creativity of the Brazilian and the Hoops star has been earmarked for the role, according to a report in the I Paper.
DEADLY DOUBLE-ACT…Reo Hatate gets in just before Daizen Maeda to force in Celtic’s equaliser in the 2-2 league draw at Ibrox in March. Now the Japanese pair are on their way from the Hoops.
Hatate, 28, is on the brink of ending his four and a half years in Glasgow after arriving along with Maeda in January 2022 as Ange Postecoglou continued to strengthen the squad on his way to five honours in two years, including back-to-back titles.
But the international performer rarely sparked last season and was left out of the matchday squad by Martin O’Neill for the remaining two crucial encounters of the campaign, the Premiership crunch against Hearts at Parkhead on May 16 and the Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline at Hampden a week later.
The champions won both, of course, as they sealed a remarkable silverware double.
Hatate, with two years still to run on his contract, has made it known he wanted to leave Celtic this summer and the club are unlikely to stand his way.
The Hoops will be looking for a fee of around £6million for a player whose valuation was closer to £20million just a couple of years ago.
WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? Celtic Confidential is the stunning book that brings the exclusive inside stories behind the headlines. Who was the tycoon who would have ruined Celtic? What really happened the night Kenny Dalglish quit the club? The real story behind Mo Johnston’s sensational move to Ibrox. All is revealed in Alex Gordon’s sixteenth Celtic book which is available NOW. Order a copy and get £5 OFF the cover price of £25. Just click SHOP HERE and your book will be on its way. Enjoy the revelations!
