A report from Nosso Palestra has suggested Reo Hatate was offered to Palmeiras by intermediaries, but the detail matters more than the headline. The wording points does not suggest Celtic are actively pushing any kind of transfer.

That point is important. There is a huge difference between a club offering a player and intermediaries testing the market. In this case, Nosso Palestra make clear that Palmeiras did not pursue the idea because Hatate does not fit the profile they are looking for. Talks never moved beyond that early stage.

Celtic FC Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate
30th November 2025; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; Reo Hatate of Celtic and Auston Trusty of Celtic

From a Celtic point of view, the timing alone makes a sale hard to believe. The league title is still up for grabs. Celtic are in the middle of a title fight. Hatate remains important to how to how Celtic play. Selling him in February, without any chance to replace him, would weaken the team immediately.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also set to sign in the coming days, which will add another body to the midfield. That helps with rotation and managing fitness, but it does not change the balance of the side. Oxlade-Chamberlain is arriving after time out of the game and will need minutes to build rhythm.

He is cover, not a replacement. Losing Hatate at this stage would still strip Celtic of a player who understands the tempo, the system, and the demands of a title run.

Recent behaviour backs that up. Celtic rejected a late £25 million bid for Arne Engels on deadline day, choosing stability over cash when the window was closing. That decision showed a clear line in the sand. If the club were unwilling to lose Engels at that moment, it is even harder to see why they would open the door to Hatate days later.

30th November 2025; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; Celtic interim manager Martin ONeill greets Reo Hatate of Celtic as he is substituted off

If there is movement here, it makes more sense from the player’s side. Hatate has been linked with interest outside Scotland before. Intermediaries acting on his behalf, or on behalf of clubs watching him, would not be unusual. That does not mean Celtic are listening.

For now, the report feels more speculative than real. There is no logic in Celtic selling a key midfielder mid-season with no replacement available.