What Brendan Rodgers said about Reo Hatate that will have West Ham fans sold

West Ham United would be signing a player in Celtic's Reo Hatate who Brendan Rodgers absolutely adores.

Now that Mateus Fernandes is gone, West Ham have some work to do when it comes to revamping their midfield engine room.

Currently, Nuno Espirito Santo's main options in the middle of the park are largely comprised of players returning from loan spells, and/or individuals who don't look to have long-term London Stadium futures.

Hatate's name has started to crop up in West Ham transfer circles over recent days, with the 28-year-old fresh off the back of playing 47 times in all competitions for Celtic last season.

An 11-cap Japanese international, he's been in Glasgow since January 2022, when he moved from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale.

Hatate has five Scottish Premiership titles on his CV during his time with Celtic, two of which have been under the management of Rodgers.

Why Brendan Rodgers thinks Reo Hatate is "outstanding"

West Ham Zone has been looking into the potential for Hatate to be a replacement for Lucas Paqueta for the Irons when comparing their midfield profiles.

Either way, a player of Hatate's experience and pedigree should be welcomed with open arms by the London Stadium faithful, if he does indeed sign on the dotted line.

His first few months with Celtic started fairly modestly, as he attempted to make the testing transition from Japanese to Scottish football, and especially at a club that demands to win every domestic competition.

As time went on though, Hatate has gone from strength to strength at Parkhead, and had his best season yet in 2024-25 when scoring 11 times and providing 10 assists in 55 total appearances.

Speaking in a May 2025 interview via BBC Sport, then-Celtic boss Rodgers raved about the player Hatate has become, and offered a clear insight into what he would bring to West Ham.

"I think for Reo I can feel a little bit, especially in the first year here, that there was a little bit of inconsistency there," said Rodgers.

"There's absolutely no doubt he's a big talent. He's obviously a bit later in age now, even though he's 27 (now 28), but maybe some clubs look at him and think he's at the wrong end of the asset age. They tend to go for younger players.

"But for me, he's an absolutely outstanding player. How he protects the ball, how he's prepared to play the risk pass. He's got goals, he can take the ball.

"I think the challenge for him has been sometimes in that really busy period when there's three games a week and in that third game there's a bit of tiredness that sets in.

"But you see him now, especially when there's one game a week, he's so good. He's a really gifted player.

"It took me a wee while to get inside him and his mind and everything else, but he's absolutely superb."

So, Hatate would certainly seem to tick plenty of boxes for West Ham, but what is his contract situation at Celtic and does it play into the Hammers' hands?

Why Celtic may be happy to sell Hatate this summer

How long a player has remaining on their contract can have a massive impact on their transfer value, and the club's ability to resist offers and hold out for maximum money.

Celtic are in a strange position regarding Hatate's contract, however, as this summer may be their last opportunity to bank a big fee for him.

That's because in September 2023, Hatate penned a five-year contract extension with Celtic, meaning his current deal expires in the summer of 2028.

Now less than two years away, should the Greens decide to keep Hatate and he has a disappointing 2026-27 season for whatever reason, then his value could drop significantly by this time next year when there's only 12 months to run on his deal.

Therefore, selling him now would ensure Celtic still take home a sizeable fee on a player who may feel ready for a new challenge.