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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Aidan Smith

Midfielder Reo Hatate turns down Celtic contract extension offer

Reo Hatate has turned down a Celtic contract extension, according to reports.

The Japanese midfielder has been a key cog in the Parkhead side since he was brought to Glasgow by Ange Postecoglou back in January 2022.

Hatate has since been touted for a new bumper deal, but The Sun report that that the playmaker has knocked back the chance to extend his time with Celtic.

The 25-year-old is currently contracted at Parkhead until 2026, but it is understood Rodgers is keen to get him tied down on improved terms.

Earlier this summer Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda penned new deals to extend their future with Celtic.

Meanwhile, Callum McGregor spoke of Celtic being at a “crossroads” following their shock Viaplay Cup exit to Kilmarnock on Sunday.

The Hoops captain did not like what he witnessed from last season’s treble winners at Rugby Park, where Marley Watkins’ second-half goal sparked an unlikely post-mortem into Celtic’s last-16 demise.

McGregor said: “We didn’t have enough quality. I think that was evident to see. We started hitting long passes, which is not us. I don’t mean good passes in terms of trying to play in behind, it was just sort of launching the ball and hoping for the best.

“That’s disappointing, that we don’t stick to the principles that we know work for us.

“It’s a massive reminder that in cup football if you don’t turn up on the day you have absolutely no right to think that you can just come and win games of football.

“Probably because our cup record has been so good that is what everyone thinks, that you just roll up and it happens. It never happens like that.

“Firstly we have to look internally, us as players. Did we do enough? The answer is no. We have to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t snowball into two results, three results, four results.

“We have to find the answers quickly and find a way to settle this new group of players. I think that is maybe what you get with a new group which is just at its infancy.

“I probably remember back to two years ago at this point, or slightly later, into September, when we lost at Livingston and it was much the same.

“Now we are at a crossroads in this group as well. We have lost a lot of key players, a lot of big players for us, so we have to find a new team.

“We have to find a settled team and then go back to the principles that make us a good team.

“You will get bad results and it’s how you handle that, how you stand up and be counted in the coming days and weeks."

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