Celtic fans have taken to Twitter to react after noticing something “strange” in the club’s announcement of three new Japanese signings.
What’s the story?
Well, Celtic started New Year’s Eve in style when announcing the triple signing of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.
The trio join Kyogo Furuhashi at Celtic Park, meaning Ange Postecoglou now has four Japanese players in his squad at Parkhead.
While it was an exciting announcement, a few supporters noticed that Hatate had been described as a “utility” player by the Bhoys.
Some fans felt that was very odd.
One supporter rightly asked how the 24-year-old could’ve made the J1 League best XI of 2021 without nailing down one position.
Last season, Hatate made 15 appearances at left-back, but also made 15 appearances in central midfield.
In that respect, he is undoubtedly versatile, which is probably what Celtic should’ve referred to him as.
To some, the term ‘utility player’ can be a bit disrespectful, as it’s commonly associated with players who are shoved into any role to fill gaps in the squad.
Who will be the best Japanese signing for Celtic?
All three players are seriously exciting signings for the Hoops, but in our view, Maeda is the one to keep an eye on – he is prolific.
The 24-year-old scored 23 goals in 36 J1 League appearances last season, showcasing a range of finishes including diving headers and audacious lobs.
In our view, the potential of Kyogo and Maeda in attack – alongside Jota – is a mouthwatering prospect – few defences could cope with that.
The new Bhoy’s efforts saw him named J1 League top scorer in 2021, so everyone at Celtic Park should be full of excitement over his arrival.
For now, let’s see what the Celtic fans on Twitter have been saying after Hatate was referred to as a utility player…
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