Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has revealed that newest January recruit, Reo Hatate, will be used as a midfielder in the 56-year olds ever-improving Hoops squad.
Since officially signing for the club on the 31st of Decemeber, before the transfer window had even opened, there has already been a lot of talk about where Hatate might feature under Postecoglou.
This is due to the 22-year olds impressive ability to play in several different areas of the park, including left-back, central midfielder and even in wide areas. When the Japanese internationalist was announced, the club also described him as a ‘utility player’.
However, speaking in his latest interview with Celtic TV, the Hoops boss cleared up all the confusion, announcing where Hatate will feature within his squad.
“He’s a player I watched develop whilst managing over in Japan, and Kawasaki Frontale are a fantastic team. They’ve been the outstanding team for the last five years,” he said, as quoted by the Herald.
“They’ve got some ridiculous talent within their ranks, and Reo is definitely one of them. You could see that from the moment he stepped into their first team.
“He’s had a lot of success; he played at a club that demands success and wants to win every week, which will sound familiar to people involved in this club, so I knew that he had the right type of character and temperament.
“In terms of position, he’s a midfielder, he’s an attacking midfielder, and he’s one I think will develop over time.”
Signing from the J-League, Hatate seems like another exciting addition to the squad as we prepare for the second half of the season.
Given the success of Kyogo Furuhashi, supporters will be full of anticipation to see the midfielder in action due to the rave reviews provided by those who have watched Hatate on a regular basis.
If there is one thing Postecoglou has proved in his short time here, it is that he knows how to improve players. So it will be interesting to see Hatate within this Celtic side.
