Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate handed transfer warning by Martin O'Neill
Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate's future at the club is uncertain as Martin O'Neill warns him to regain form. The Japanese midfielder has slipped down the ranks and O'Neill has left the door open for him to leave, but only if he can rediscover the level that made him one of Scotland's leading midfielders two seasons ago.
What happened?
Reo Hatate's situation is a strange one, according to Alan Hutton, who believes the midfielder was exceptional under Brendan Rodgers. However, he seems to have fallen out of favour and is now a benchwarmer or squad absentee.
Why it matters for Celtic
Hutton speculated that an opportunity to move elsewhere might have been blocked, leading to Hatate losing form. O'Neill has publicly challenged Hatate to rediscover the level that made him one of Scotland's leading midfielders two seasons ago.
What comes next?
Hutton added that it's not easy to demand a move anymore from a position like that. He thinks what Hatate needs to do is knuckle down and get back into the Celtic team because at the moment it's all very quiet around him.
Celtic are currently 3 points behind leaders Heart Of Midlothian in the title race, with a recent form of 5W-0D-0L (WWWWW, most recent first). They have scored 59 goals this season and conceded 35, with a goal difference of +24. Their last result was a 3-1 win over Heart Of Midlothian on 2026-05-16.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 3rd in Premiership, 67 pts, 21W-4D-8L from 33 games, recent form WWWWW.
