Reo Hatate was once touted with big-money moves away from Celtic when he was at the peak of his powers at Parkhead, but now that is not the case.

The Japan international did not make the squad for his country's World Cup campaign and had to watch on from home as his side were beaten by Brazil in round of 32.

His failure to make the squad may have stemmed from the fact that he only started three of the club's last ten matches in the Scottish Premiership last season, whilst being an unused substitute in four of those games.

It has since been reported that the central midfielder has informed Martin O'Neill and the club that he would like to explore a move away from Glasgow this summer, after falling out of favour last term.

The Scottish giants have yet to accept an offer for the 28-year-old star, though, and it remains to be seen whether or not they are open to letting him leave.

Celtic are eyeing up move for Premiership central midfielder

Despite ending the campaign on the bench, Hatate still made 47 appearances in all competitions for the Premiership champions, scoring six goals and providing three assists.

The club may have to bring in another player in his position, therefore, to allow him to leave so that they are not left short on options in that area of the pitch.

According to CelticShorts, O'Neill and the recruitment team at Celtic are already looking at a player who could come in to take Hatate's place in the squad.

The report claims that the Hoops are considering a move for Motherwell central midfielder Elliot Watt in the summer transfer window to bolster their midfield ranks.

It states that the club are keeping a close eye on his situation during the transfer window, with a view to potentially making a move for him in the coming weeks.

However, CelticShorts explain that Turkish side Samsunspor have already made multiple offers to sign the central midfielder, which means that Celtic may have to move quickly if they want to secure his signature.

What Celtic's interest in Elliot Watt means for Reo Hatate

The club's potential pursuit of a deal to sign Watt this summer means that Hatate could have a route out of Parkhead, as the Motherwell star could be his natural replacement.

As aforementioned, the Japan international played plenty of matches for the club last season and is not someone who can be let go of before a replacement is signed, as he played an important role within the squad.

Watt, like Hatate, is a number eight who could come in and take his spot in the team and allow the Scottish giants to play the field to see who would be interested in signing the Japanese ace this summer.

The 26-year-old star's performances in the Premiership last season also suggest that he would arrive at Parkhead as a significant upgrade on Hatate for O'Neill.

Whilst it is not the most important part of either player's games, Watt has the potential to make a greater impact at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer or a creator of goals, possibly winning more points for the team with key moments in front of goal.

It is in possession in build-up where the Scottish ace truly shines, though, as he averaged more than twice as many completed passes per game, whilst completing a higher percentage of his attempted passes.

Watt was described as the "best midfielder in the league" in 2025/26 by analyst Kai Watson and it is easy to understand why when you look at his statistics, as he completed more passes (2,347) than any other midfielder in the division.

On top of his exceptional passing qualities, he was also far more effective out of possession than Hatate, winning a higher percentage of his duels on the floor and in the air.

That means that Watt could offer more to the team in all thirds of the pitch, defensively, in build-up, and offensively, which is why he could be such a brilliant addition to the squad.

Now, the Scottish giants must push to win the race for his signature so that they can both improve their team and open the door for Hatate to secure an exit from Parkhead.