Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate is among the players who could depart Parkhead before the summer transfer window closes. The Japanese international fell out of favor under manager Martin O’Neill toward the end of the 2025/26 season, managing just 19 starts in the Scottish Premiership.
Hatate was an unused substitute in four of his last seven matchday appearances and was left out entirely for the Scottish Cup final victory over Dunfermline at Hampden Park last month.
Earlier this month, The Herald reported that the 28-year-old—who was omitted from Japan’s World Cup squad—has informed Celtic of his desire to leave this summer.
With two years remaining on his contract, it remains unclear what fee the Premiership champions will demand for the midfielder, who scored two league goals last season. However, his exit may hinge on Celtic securing a replacement before the 2026/27 campaign begins.
Encouragingly for Hatate, the club is reportedly pursuing a midfield addition currently featuring at the World Cup. Former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness has claimed that Celtic are set to sign Astana’s Ivan Basic, a 19-cap Bosnia international.
Wyness told Football Insider that O’Neill is keen on the player and expects the deal to be straightforward once Basic returns from the tournament.
“Martin O’Neill quite likes him from what I understand,” Wyness said. “It’s pretty straightforward to get done.
It’s amazing that Celtic and Astana are now trading players. I think Basic will be quite a big hit in Scotland as well.
If he has a great World Cup, they’ll squeeze Celtic for more, but they’ll still do their best. I’ll be watching him closely in the group stages.”
Should Celtic complete the signing of Basic, they could part with Hatate without compromising midfield depth or quality. The club may prefer to secure the Bosnian before sanctioning Hatate’s departure to avoid a last-minute scramble.
Basic’s 2026 form in the Kazakhstan Premier League suggests he could be a strong replacement. In just ten league games, he has already matched the assist tally Hatate managed in 30 Premiership appearances last season.
His ball-recovery and duel-success rates also indicate a more impactful off-the-ball contribution—backed by his World Cup performance against Canada, where he recorded three recoveries, two interceptions, and created a game-high five chances without being dribbled past once.
With his box-to-box ability and composure on the biggest stage, Basic could prove an excellent addition for O’Neill—while finally granting Hatate the move he seeks.
