Brendan Rodgers has admitted Celtic may have to be flexible in the transfer market this summer, with Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate both being linked with moves away from the club.
Maeda, a key part of Rodgers’ forward line, is reportedly attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Spurs have all been linked, along with Fulham, West Ham, Brentford, Crystal Palace, and Leeds United. The Japanese international has impressed with his energy and goalscoring ability, and clubs in England are reportedly watching closely.
Hatate is also catching attention, with Serie A side Udinese reportedly scouting the midfielder. The Italian club are said to be monitoring his progress as they plan a rebuild of their squad. Hatate has been a consistent performer for Celtic this season, and has made no secret of his ambition to one day play in one of Europe’s top five leagues, with Rodgers explaining Celtic’s summer plans may shift depending on what offers come in.
He said: (RecordSport), “We all know fine well here there is a player trading model. That means we will probably get offers for some of our players in the summer. If that happens, then we have to be flexible and ready to adapt to that.
“If I said everyone now would be here then we’d maybe only be looking at two or three new players coming in of high quality. But we have to see.”
Both Maeda and Hatate are under contract, but their futures may depend on the size of the bids received. Rodgers’ comments suggest Celtic are preparing for a potentially busy window, where smart recruitment will be key to balancing quality with change.
The Irishman is expected to lead another reshuffle as the Hoops look to build on domestic success and aim for even more European progress. That will require a balance between keeping experienced players and allowing some to move on if big offers come in—replacing them immediately.
Rodgers will hope that no matter what happens with Maeda and Hatate, Celtic can finish the transfer window in a better place—stronger on the pitch and with more money to use.
