Report claims Reo Hatate is ‘close to a return’

Keith Jackson has claimed that Reo Hatate is ‘close to a return’.

No time-frame is laid out by the top reporter at the Daily Record but that phrase suggests that the midfielder should be back playing this month.

Hatate has suffered three muscle related injuries this season which hass restricted him to starting just four SPFL matches this season with a further four appearances off the bench.

After breaking down early on in Celtic’s Champions League tie at home to Atletico Madrid Hatate made a brief appearance away to St Mirren on January 2 but returned early from the Asian Cup with injuries to both calves.

Celtic will need to monitor the rehab very carefully but covering an interview with Cameron Carter-Vickers following the win over Dundee in the Daily Record Jackson reports:

Boss Brendan Rodgers has hailed the return to fitness of his first choice central defender as a key moment in Celtic’s season. Full-back Alistair Johnston is also back in the starting line-up with midfield linchpin Reo Hatate also close to a return.

Rodgers will meet the media today to preview Sunday’s match away to Hearts where he is likely to be asked for details on injuries.

Away from Hatate, Oh Hyeon-gyu and Odin Thiago Holm were missing from the squad against Dundee without any explanation.

With 30 years experience at the Record Jackson is well connected, in June 2021 he was given Peter Lawwell’s last newspaper interview when the former CEO discussed having fans attend test matches inside Celtic Park, no fans attended matches until July 2021.