Reo Hatate is on schedule to return to the Celtic squad for the match away to Livingston on March 31.
The midfielder has been plagued by muscle injuries all season and returned from the Asian Cup in January with damage to both calf’s.
Starting just four SPFL matches so far this season Hatate has been a massive loss to Celtic who sold Jota in the summer and Liel Abada last week.
In the first six months of last season the midfielder was arguably Celtic’s best player, in February alongside Callum McGregor and Aaron Mooy he ran the show in the League Cup Final as the first stage of the treble was completed.
Discussing Hatate on Sunday The Sun reports Brendan Rodgers saying:
He’s out on the pitch doing his work, so we’re hoping that after the international break he’ll be with the squad.
Reo will be training with the group during the break and will be available afterwards. It’s looking more likely for the Livingston game. After the international break, we’ve got a big game then.
Just having the availability of that level of player, the dynamism he has, clearly it’s something we’ve missed. To have him back will be great.
With his catalogue of injuries Celtic will have to be very careful with the final stages of Hatate’s rehab.
Any playing time on the plastic pitch at Livingston is likely to be very limited making a starting place at Ibrox a week later a long shot.
Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen on the weekend of April 20/21 seems a reasonable date for Hatate’s return to the Starting XI.
