Celtic news bulletin as Nicolas Kuhn transfer receives direct address amid honest Reo Hatate reality check
The Scottish Premiership leaders are in the market for quality as they look to strengthen their title surge.
Celtic fans are eagerly awaiting the first arrival of the January transfer window as Brendan Rodgers looks to add quality to the league leaders squad.
Rapid Vienna forward Nicolas Kuhn has been touted with a winter switch to the Scottish Premiership with the versatile star potentially offering cover from Oh Hyeon-gyu, Hyun-jun Yang and Daizen Maeda in the attacking positions while they are competing at the Asian Cup. The former Ajax and Bayern Munich man has impressed during his two years in Austria and the 24-year-old has been tipped to among the first in the door for Celtic.
But asked about the prospect of Kuhn making a move to Glasgow’s east end this summer, sports director Markus Katzer was quick to distance the attacker from a mid-season exit. Speaking to Austrian outlet Kronen Zeitung, he said: “I assume that everyone will be with us in the second half of the season, I haven’t heard anything to the contrary.”
Meanwhile, Reo Hatate has opened up on his injury torment that left him out of Parkhead action for months. The midfielder pulled up in the home tie of the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid and picked up a troubling hamstring injury.
He made his return to the Celtic squad on January 2 against Rangers but didn’t get on the pitch and has admitted to Soccer Digest he thought his chances of going to the Asian Cup with Japan this month were toast. Hatate said: “I was depressed that day, but I was able to quickly recover. It was my goal, but then I got injured, so I thought it would be difficult, but since I was selected like this, I hope I can do what I need to do.”
The midfielder has also expressed some sympathy for Kyogo. While he and Daizen Maeda will represent their country at a major tournament, Kyogo’s omission came as a surprise, and Hatate has his pal in mind. He added: “My teammates and I want to play in a place like this, but I think there’s a position where you can be selected or not selected, so I want to do my best while also carrying the thoughts of those people.”
Elsewhere, Sydney van Hooijdonk reportedly remains on the list of January options for Celtic. TuttoMercato report that the Dutchman has been told by Thiago Motta that he IS leaving the club this month.
The son of former Hoops’ hero Pierre was touted with a move to the Scottish Premiership champions in the summer but exit door for the 23-year-old as he was offered a chance to impress his boss in Serie A. However, the boos has reportedly told him time is up and he will be moved on with the Hoops and Werder Bremen monitoring the situation.
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