Reo Hatate’s Celtic Absence Explained

Reo Hatate’s absence from Celtic’s opening pre-season friendly quickly caught the attention of supporters, but Martin O’Neill has revealed there was a straightforward explanation behind the midfielder missing the trip to Ireland.

With Hatate already having made it clear he wants to leave Celtic in search of a new challenge, plenty of fans assumed his omission was linked to a potential transfer.

Instead, O’Neill confirmed the Japanese international has simply been playing catch-up after illness disrupted the start of his summer preparations.

“Reo came late to proceedings. I think he was a bit ill at the time, so he missed out about four or five days.

“He’s doing a little bit of work and he’s catching up with us in Portugal,” (TCW).

That will come as some reassurance, even if Hatate’s long-term future remains uncertain.

The midfielder has not featured for Celtic since his substitute appearance at Fir Park in the crucial win that helped swing the title race. His 20-minute cameo that afternoon proved to be his final outing of the 2025/26 campaign.

It could signal the end to a significant spell at the club if he does move on this summer.

Since arriving in Glasgow four and a half years ago, Hatate has made 189 appearances, contributing 64 goals and assists while helping Celtic collect 10 trophies. He has been one of the key figures of a hugely successful period, producing moments of real quality in domestic competition and Europe.

His absence from the first pre-season fixture naturally sparked speculation, particularly with the transfer window now gathering pace. O’Neill’s update makes it clear there was no hidden reason behind him sitting out.

Celtic are now continuing their preparations in the Algarve, where the intensity will increase over the coming days ahead of next week’s meeting with Sporting CP on July 14.

There is every chance O’Neill will continue rotating his squad as fitness levels build, giving younger players opportunities while gradually increasing the workload for senior players returning from the summer break.

Hatate will be hoping to get himself back into contention as he catches up with the rest of the group, even if questions over his future are unlikely to disappear while the transfer window remains open.

The squad in Portugal is also expected to be strengthened further. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will join up with his new teammates after signing a one-year contract extension, while Camilo Duran is also expected to arrive soon after agreeing personal terms on what has been reported as a five-year deal.