£5m “elite” star now wants to sign for Celtic

Sweeping changes lie in store at Celtic this summer, with the side that once looked so rampant under Ange Postecoglou having been swiftly dismantled in the years since.

A Postecoglou-style rebuild is needed under Martin O’Neill this time around, particularly with two key figures of that prior regime expected to depart, in the form of Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate.

The Japanese duo ranked 11th and 12th on the list with regard to most appearances made under the Aussie genius, with Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota the only members of the top ten still at the club.

There have been notable highs even since Postecoglou’s exit, but for Hatate, in particular, the time has come to say goodbye, with midfield replacements already being lined up.

Celtic already held talks to sign £5m midfield sensation

There could well be something of a midfield exodus at Paradise this summer, with Hatate not the only figure facing an uncertain future under O’Neill.

Paulo Bernardo appears destined for an exit after making just seven starts last term in all competitions, while it remains to be seen if Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s short-term deal will be extended.

Equally too, interest is mounting from the Premier League in Belgian gem, Arne Engels, the 22-year-old having been the subject of a £25m bid from Nottingham Forest on deadline day.

Arrivals are required, and swiftly, with CeltsAreHere reporting that the club have already made an approach for Hibernian starlet, Miguel Chaiwa.

As per the report, that enquiry came late last month, although the 22-year-old is still keen on the move, even with two years still to run on his contract at Easter Road.

The Edinburgh side are in no rush to sell, yet the report does suggest that a fee close to £4m-£5m could be enough to strike a deal, even after prior claims that the Zambian could fetch as much as £7m.

Why Chaiwa could be the perfect Hatate replacement

While Maeda enjoyed what might have been a stunning farewell tour in the final weeks of the season, his compatriot was almost a bystander to proceedings in the run-in, cast aside by O’Neill.

Long linked with a move away prior to the start of 2025/26, Hatate appeared well short of his previous best, having scored just two Premiership goals all season.

The 28-year-old didn’t start any of the final seven league games, was an unused substitute for three of those and missed out on the matchday squad altogether on the final day, as he did for the Scottish Cup final triumph over Dunfermline.

Any player can suffer a dip in form in front of goal, yet there appeared to be a real decline in terms of Hatate’s work out of possession. In his first full season in 2022/23, for instance, he was averaging 3.6 duels won per game. That figure was halved last season.

While Chaiwa isn’t a goalscoring midfielder himself, he would provide a real upgrade in a defensive sense, such an energic, all-action asset in the Hibs midfield.

Lauded for his “elite pace” by writer Michael Shearer, Chaiwa was also described as a “proper modern-day midfielder” by Hibs boss David Gray, one not necessarily confined to a specific role in the midfield.

He was here there and everywhere in his debut campaign at Easter Road, showcasing the type of athleticism that was distinctly lacking from Hatate in green and white.

Indeed, in contrast to the Celtic man, Chaiwa averaged a stellar five duels won per game across 2025/26, having started 22 times following his move from Swiss side BSC Young Boys.

The £5m-rated sensation also averaged 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game, alongside 3.9 ball recoveries per outing, further highlighting that duel-winning dominance. For comparison, Hatate averaged just 1.0 and 2.3 for those same two metrics, respectively.

What also stands out regarding Chaiwa is his progressive, ball-carrying quality, having also averaged 0.8 successful dribbles per game – again ahead of Hatate (0.4).

In his pomp – like when registering 14 goals and assists in 2022/23 – Hatate was integral to everything good about Celtic, a player who looked like a real coup following his bargain £1.1m arrival.

Who can forget that brace against Rangers in February 2022, one of the great nights in modern memory at Paradise?

That player hasn’t been seen in a while, sadly, with Chaiwa set to represent a perfect upgrade on the current iteration of Hatate.