Celtic could land Hatate alternative in swoop for "tenacious" SPFL star
Celtic could land Hatate alternative in swoop for "tenacious" SPFL star
Celtic ended their 2023/24 campaign on a high last month as they won the SFA Cup thanks to a 90th-minute strike from Adam Idah at Hampden Park.
The Hoops beat their local rivals to secure the trophy and ensure that they came away from the season with two pieces of silverware added to the cabinet, having lifted the Scottish Premiership title the previous weekend.
Brendan Rodgers, however, may look for progress on the continent as his team were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages.
The Bhoys finished rock bottom of their group, which included Feyenoord, Lazio, and Atletico Madrid, with one win in six games and may pursue more success next term.
Rodgers could use the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business on Friday, to bolster his squad and add more quality options across the park to compete in all competitions.
Central midfield is one area that could do with further additions after Reo Hatate endured an injury-ravaged season, and the Hoops are already reportedly looking at an impressive SPFL midfielder.
Celtic's interest in signing SPFL maestro
It was recently reported by Sky Sports that the Scottish giants are interested in excellent Dundee central midfielder Luke McCowan ahead of next term.
The outlet stated that Rodgers' side have been tracking the left-footed star's progress with the Premiership side, ahead of a potential swoop for his services.
His current contract with Dundee is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign and it remains to be seen whether or not he will put pen to paper on an extension.
This means that the current transfer window could be their last chance to cash in on the 26-year-old maestro before they lose him for nothing next year, which could open the door for Celtic to swoop in and secure a deal.
Sky Sports also claimed that the Hoops are in talks with Portuguese giants Benfica over a deal to sign Paulo Bernardo on a permanent basis after his loan spell.
They currently have an option to sign him for £6m but are trying to renegotiate to bring him back to Parkhead for a fee in the region of £3.5m this summer.
With McCowan, though, Rodgers could land a dream alternative to Hatate in the middle of the park to compete with the Japanese midfielder, or to play in his place if the injury issues continue into next season.
Reo Hatate's injury-ravaged season for Celtic
The 26-year-old dynamo came into this term off the back of 32 appearances in the Scottish Premiership in Ange Postecoglou's last year with the club.
His campaign was almost immediately disrupted by a calf injury that was sustained on the 13th of August, which kept him out of action for six matches for club and country.
Hatate then suffered a hamstring issue in October that ruled him out of 20 games for Celtic and Japan combined, with his return coming in January.
However, just a few weeks after his return at the start of the year, the central midfielder suffered another calf injury on international duty and missed 14 more matches.
This means that the right-footed ace was out injured for a whopping 40 games during the 2023/24 campaign for club and country combined, which severely limited his impact on the pitch for the Bhoys.
As you can see in the table above, Hatate only made 12 starts in the Premiership and that meant that he did not have a telling say in the title race over the course of the season.
However, the impressive ace did contribute with seven direct goal involvements in those 12 starts, which speaks to the quality he can provide in the final third when fit and available to play.
That is why Rodgers will surely be hoping that the midfield whiz can avoid another injury-ravaged year next term, as the Japan international could be a huge player for the Scottish giants if he is available week-in-week-out.
If his injury issues do persist, though, then the Hoops will need an adequate alternative who can step in and chip in at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, which is why McCowan could be a fantastic signing for the club.
Why Luke McCowan is a dream Reo Hatate alternative
Firstly, Celtic may not have to break the bank to bring him to Parkhead due to his contractual situation and him currently playing in the SPFL.
He is not playing in a major European league and his contract does not have years left to run, which could allow the Bhoys to snap him up for a reasonable price - making him an ideal addition to provide depth in the squad.
Secondly, McCowan is in the peak years of his career at the age of 26 and has proven himself in the Premiership. This suggests that he could hit the ground running and make an immediate impact, whilst still having plenty of years of service left to give to the Hoops.
His performances on the pitch for Dundee during the 2023/24 campaign also indicate that the quality is there for him to be a dream alternative to Hatate in terms of what they offer in a central midfield position.
If you compare his form in the top-flight this season with the Japanese maestro's displays for Celtic when he was fit for the majority of the previous term, McCowan appears to be an excellent target for the club to bring in as an alternative option.
As you can see in the table above, both midfielders provide quality as scorers and creators of goals from the middle of the park, and do so at a similar rate.
They also both get stuck in to win possession back through tackles and interceptions, with the Dundee star, who was dubbed "tenacious" by writer Kai Watson, potentially being able to offer more in that respect.
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The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League ace this summer.
Therefore, McCowan appears to be an ideal option to come in and take Hatate's place when he is unavailable, or to simply compete with him for a starting berth, which is why he could be an excellent signing by Rodgers.