Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate has seemingly dropped a hint to suggest he will remain at Parkhead next season despite reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 25-year-old enjoyed an impressive first full season with the Hoops after joining the club from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale in January 2022, contributing with nine goals and 11 assists in 45 matches across all competitions.
Hatate is under contract in Glasgow until the summer of 2026, but he has been linked with a possible departure amid interest from a number of European clubs including Tottenham, who are now managed by Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou signed Hatate for around £1.4m and the Japan international was an integral member of the Celtic side that won the domestic treble in the 2022-23 season.
The Daily Mail claims that Spurs are 'monitoring' Hatate, although the North Londoners have concerns over whether the midfielder would qualify for a work permit.
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The Japan international is also said to have attracted interest from Brighton & Hove Albion, Lazio and a host of other clubs in Spain and France.
However, Hatate has provided Celtic supporters with a huge boost to suggest that he will remain at Parkhead after drawing up a list of personal targets for the new campaign.
"Looking back on my own season, I played 32 league games, scoring six goals and assisting nine. In all official games, I had nine goals and 11 assists," Hatate told reporters as quoted by the Daily Record. "I was aiming for double-figure goals and double-figure assists, so while I achieved my assists, I didn't reach my goalscoring target, which will be the challenge for next season."
Hatate has also acknowledged his jealousy towards teammate and compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi – another who has been linked with Spurs – after he claimed the Scottish Premiership and PFA Scotland Player of the Season awards following his 34-goals campaign in 2022-23.
"Kyogo was named Scottish Premiership Player of the Year. As a fellow Japanese player, I felt proud, but also frustrated. If I had worked harder, I could have won that honour," Hatate, who was also nominated for the award, added. "On the one hand, I was happy for him but on the other hand, I frankly felt frustrated. It will motivate me even further to grow as a player.
"In the Scottish league, a foreign country, a Japanese player scored 27 goals and became the top scorer. This is no easy feat. That's why I'm happy that I was able to make a small contribution with my assists.
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"Last season, when I joined Celtic in the middle of the campaign, my problem was I ran out of steam in terms of my condition by the end of the season. But this season, I set myself the goal of maintaining a high level of performance throughout the season and I was able to do that and play in the Champions League. I regard it as a solid season.
"I feel that I was able to show consistent play throughout the season in a position where, like Kyogo, I am expected to contribute not only in terms of visible goals, but also in terms of attack and defence. On a personal level, it also gave me confidence that I could always get a chance to play. I was competing for the same midfield position as Callum McGregor, Matt O'Reily and Aaron Mooy".
On Celtic winning the treble, Hatate added: "It's been three-and-a-half years since I turned professional and I've been lucky enough to win the title every year. No matter how many times we have won, none of them have been the same and each time we get a different sense of fulfilment and achievement, probably because of that explosive joy shown by the fans who cheer us on.
"I was thinking about that watching the joy of the supporters at Hampden Park after our 3-1 win over Inverness in the Scottish Cup final. The smiles I have seen since joining Celtic inspire me to get better and help me to grow."
Celtic are currently on the hunt to replace Postecoglou, with Brendan Rodgers understood to have held face-to-face talks with the club's hierarchy over a possible return as manager.
The likes of Enzo Maresca, Jesse Marsch, Kjetil Knutsen and Daniel Farke are also thought to be under consideration by the Hoops.
Oliver Thomas
