The prospect of Reo Hatate leaving Celtic for Leicester City has emerged, adding to the anxiety among supporters who are already bracing for the potential departure of Matt O’Riley.

Chris Wheatley of the National World reports that Hatate is ‘keen’ to challenge himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, with Leicester City showing interest, and additional attention coming from clubs in Spain and Italy.

Leicester City among the teams monitoring Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate. 🇯🇵

26-year-old is keen on moving to the Premier League this summer, with interest from Spain and Italy too. pic.twitter.com/bog8iQAoJh

— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley) August 19, 2024

This development comes at a challenging time for Celtic, as they are dealing with Brighton’s formal bid for O’Riley. The potential exits of both midfielders could significantly weaken Celtic’s core.

Hatate’s aspiration to play in a more competitive league is understandable for his career growth, but his timing could disrupt Celtic’s season. The club now faces the daunting task of ensuring squad stability while addressing the ambitions of its key players, ensuring that none are left unhappy.

Hatate has signed a long-term deal though, and if he has an injury-free season at Celtic and shines in the Champions League, he can look at a bigger and better move than Leicester City.

The next steps for Celtic will be critical. They will need to either persuade Hatate to stay for another season or seek substantial transfer fees for both players that would allow adequate reinvestment in the squad.

But, with 11 days left of the transfer window, time isn’t on their side.