Ambitious Reo Hatate wants to play in one of the top five leagues in the world during his career.
His words, not the words of anyone else and yet the Japanese star is the latest name to be linked with a move to the ever-lucrative Saudi Arabia Pro-League with Al Ittihad. The Celtic star's standout season in Glasgow last year means raging debate who is the best player in Scotland has always at least included his name. Hatate arrived like a bolt from the blue under Ange Postecoglou in January 2022, and barely coming down from the high of a Treble some sixteen months later, the 25-year-old has his future squarely in his crosshairs.
But Hatate knows the lure of the Champions League and the exposure it can bring top Hoops star. And he remains keen to remain in Glasgow until a dream move materialises - the same rules which all Celtic's best players have followed in recent times. He has watched as Josip Juranovic's form earned him a Bundesliga cushy number, he will have been told stories of Kieran Tierney, Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard who all flourished on European football's grandest stage and were subsequently pinched by top teams.
Those same teams could be keen on taking the enigmatic midfielder to newer heights, not least his former mentor he affectionately calls 'Mr Ange' at Tottenham Hotspur. And what of the Premier League's best launching pad in Brighton? A move to the Amex and solid form while on the south coast now seems to be a guarantee of a transfer to the top five shortly after. Ask Alexis Mac Allister and Leandro Trossard what that means.
For the former Kawasaki Frontale man, Saudi feels an ill-fit. The wages are exorbitant, of course, and the exposure is now gaining traction, but it has served in recent months almost as a retirement village for players who have already established their elite status. Cristiano Ronaldo started the trend, and the likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly, all in their 30s, have followed suit.
It was shrewdly pointed out by Postecoglou during the season that Hatate, after being deputised at full-back in a strange but successful moving of the chess pieces has been playing professional football for just over four years due to the Japanese university system. The same trajectory followed by best mate Kaoru Mitoma, and one that the Aussie reckons will take him to the top to join the winger.
Postecoglou said in October: “I have tried to explain to people that, although he’s 24, he’s only really three or four years in professional football and there is more to come from him. He is adapting really well to both life here and football here in Europe and Scotland, more specifically. He’s a very determined young man and very ambitious.
“He’s constantly asking questions about how he can be better and I know there is more to come because, like I said, if you ignore his age and look at how much experience he has actually had, you know if he keeps improving at this rate he is going to be a fantastic footballer.”
Hatate levied his mentor's words with his own clear admission on ambition, and a move to the Middle East would not only be a jolt from that path to success but yet another thorn in the side of Celtic fans who wouldn't want to see their top man leave for a Saudi riches. He said last month in an interview with GOAL: "If there is a chance to step up, I would like to play in various leagues.
"As a football player, I think everyone wants to play at a high level throughout the season. When I was in the J-League, I thought it was impossible to play in the five major leagues. However, because I was able to achieve a certain amount of results throughout the season with Celtic, I started to think that I would like to challenge myself next time. If there is a chance, I would like to take on the challenge.
"Of course, if I stay with this team, I can still have good experiences, and next season I will be in the Champions League. I think that by always standing at the top and fighting, I will be mentally stronger, so it would be nice if I stayed."
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