Rodgers could land Hatate upgrade in Celtic swoop for “fabulous” star

The January transfer window officially opened for business on Wednesday and Celtic could look to make a few changes to their playing squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Their 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Thursday was only their second loss in all competitions this term, with the 7-1 hammering by Borussia Dortmund the other, but that does not mean that there is not room for improvement.

In fact, Brendan Rodgers is already looking to close in on his first signing of the window with Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney said to be an active target.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Hoops are in talks to reach an agreement to bring the Scotland international back to Glasgow for a second spell, with the player keen on re-joining the club.

This could put Greg Taylor’s future, as the current first-choice left-back at Parkhead, in doubt, particularly amid reported interest from Dinamo Zagreb in the defender.

Taylor is not the only Celtic player who should be worried about potential recruits coming in to take their place, as central midfielder Reo Hatate could also be in danger.

Reo Hatate’s performances this season

The Japan international’s inconsistent performances have been an issue for him this season, as the midfield star has failed to nail down a consistent run of excellent displays for the Hoops.

His 2024/25 campaign can be summed up by his last three matches for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. In the games against St Johnstone and Motherwell, Hatate produced a goal, an assist, and created two ‘big chances’, offering a big threat at the top end of the pitch.

However, the Japanese lightweight followed that up with a disappointing showing against Rangers in the 3-0 defeat in the Old Firm clash at Ibrox on Thursday.

As you can see in the table above, Hatate offered very little out of possession, winning one duel, and struggled badly on the ball, creating more shots for the Gers – with two errors that led to shots – than he did for Celtic.

The 27-year-old midfielder has scored five goals and assisted one in 19 Premiership appearances for Celtic to date, which shows that he has offered a decent, but not outstanding, threat at the top end of the pitch.

Hatate has also lost 53% of his duels, which shows that opposition players have found it a bit too easy to get the better of him at times, and averaged under one tackle (0.9) and under one interception (0.3) per game.

These statistics show that the Celtic midfield man has struggled off the ball at times, letting himself down with the physical side of the game, whilst also being inconsistent with his use of the ball at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, Hatate could be in danger if the Hoops decide to swoop to reinforce their midfield options this month, particularly amid reported interest in a player in his position.

Celtic’s interest in English midfield star

The Boot Room reported last month that Celtic are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to land Burnley captain Josh Brownhill to bolster their squad.

It was claimed that the Hoops and Rangers are both prepared to send pre-contract offers to sign the English midfielder, whose contract at Turf Moor is due to expire at the end of the season.

Fiorentina and Lazio, meanwhile, have already made offers to the former Bristol City star, whilst Everton, West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Leeds are also said to be keen on snapping him up.

The report did not reveal whether or not Brownhill would be willing to make the move up north to Glasgow but did state that he has not signed the new contract that is on the table from Burnley, opening the door to an exit from Turf Moor.

It is now down to Rodgers and his team to convince the player that a move to Parkhead is the best next step for him in his career, as the midfield star could be a terrific addition to the side and an upgrade on Hatate, whether he joins in January on a free transfer in the summer.

Why Josh Brownhill is an upgrade on Reo Hatate

The 29-year-old maestro’s performances for Burnley in the Championship this season suggest that he could come in and offer more than the Japan international in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants.

Brownhill, who produced four goals and two assists in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign, is an attack-minded midfielder who can also contribute out of possession to help his team.

As you can see in the graphic above, the £45k-per-week dynamo ranks incredibly highly in a number of key attacking metrics over the last 365 days, with his Premier League and Championship statistics included in that.

In the current campaign specifically, Brownhill has contributed with nine goals and three assists in 24 appearances in the second tier for Burnley, which shows that he has offered a big threat at the top end of the pitch for Scott Parker.

These statistics suggest that the Clarets skipper could provide more quality than Hatate, who has scored five league goals, in front of goal for the Hoops if they manage to bring him to Park.

The graphic above also illustrates that Brownhill could offer a greater presence defensively, with twice as many tackles and interceptions per game on average this season.

Therefore, the Burnley ace, who was once described as a “fabulous” player by pundit Lee Hendrie, could come in to be an upgrade on Hatate with both his use of the ball and his work out of possession, scoring more goals and making more interventions to win the ball back for his side.

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Celtic are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League talent.

That is why Rodgers must push the board to win the hotly-contested race for the 29-year-old ace’s signature either this month, or in free agency in the summer.