Celtic lost Danish attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley, who signed for Brighton & Hove Albion, last summer and Brendan Rodgers splashed the cash to replace him.
The Hoops swooped to sign Belgian star Arne Engels from Bundesliga side Augsburg for a reported fee of £11m, smashing the club’s transfer record, to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
Paulo Bernardo was also signed permanently from Benfica, after his loan spell at Parkhead last season, and Luke McCowan was brought in from Dundee.
So far, Engels has been value for money for the Scottish giants with his contributions at the top end of the pitch. The Belgium international has racked up ten goals and 12 assists in 41 matches in all competitions.
The 21-year-old maestro has showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third, as a lethal penalty taker and a creator of goals, and is starting to emerge as the star man for Rodgers.
His exceptional form in the middle of the park for the Scottish Premiership champions has also taken the spotlight away from Reo Hatate, who had a chance to take over from O’Riley last summer.
Reo Hatate's form this season
The Japan international suffered an injury-hit 2023/24 campaign as he ended the season with just three goals and two assists in 21 appearances in all competitions.
He did not get the chance to play week-in-week-out and showcase his quality, and the 27-year-old star may have seen O’Riley’s departure as a chance for him to step up and become the main man for the Hoops.
Unfortunately, it has not quite worked out that way because Engels’ performances have overshadowed Hatate’s work in midfield. The Japanese whiz has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 45 appearances in all competitions, which is a solid, but unspectacular, return.
Appearances
29
Goals
6
Assists
3
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.1
Duel success rate
44%
Dribbled past per game
0.6x
As you can see in the table above, Hatate has struggled out of possession in the Premiership this season, as opposition players have found it too easy to get the better of him in duels.
The experienced Celtic performer is not a tough-tackling midfielder who holds the team down defensively, but Engels’ form means that he is also not the outstanding attacking force in that area of the pitch either.
Whilst Hatate is still a good option for Rodgers to have, as he has contributed to nine goals in the league, Celtic once let go of a midfielder who is now even better than the Japan international, and got little back in return.
Celtic fumbled Jackson Irvine
Jackson Irvine joined the Scottish giants at U20 level from Australian side Frankston Pines in the January transfer window of 2010 and he rose through the ranks at the academy.
He made his first-team debut for the Hoops against Hibernian in the Premiership in 2012, playing 45 minutes, but that turned out to be his only appearance for the club.
Irvine was sent out on loan to Kilmarnock in the 2013/14 campaign, scoring once in 27 league appearances, before he joined Ross County on loan for the following season.
The Australian midfielder scored two goals and provided two assists in 28 Premiership appearances for Ross County, who then decided that they wanted to sign him permanently.
Where Are They Now
It was reported that the Staggies signed Irvine for a ‘small development fee’ amid interest from Motherwell and Hibernian, although it remains unclear as to exactly how much Celtic received for his services.
Fast-forward to the present day, after spells with Ross County, Burton Albion, Hull City, and Hibernian, Irvine is currently thriving in the Bundesliga with St. Pauli having also registered 76 caps for his country.
Why Celtic should rue selling Jackson Irvine
The 31-year-old star has started all 24 of his appearances in the German top-flight so far this season and caught the eye with seven ‘big chances’ created and five assists – more assists than Hatate has managed in the Premiership.
He has also made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 50% of his duels in the Bundesliga, which suggests that Irvine provides a strong defensive presence to go along with his attacking qualities.
Engels going from a return of three goals and two assists in 32 Bundesliga games last season to nine goals and five assists in 26 Premiership games this term suggests that the German top-flight is a step up in quality.
This illustrates how impressive Irvine’s performances, in comparison to Hatate’s, have been this season, as he has provided fantastic creativity and defensive strength at a higher level.
It may, therefore, be fairer to compare the former Celtic prospect’s form in the 2. Bundesliga in the 2023/24 campaign, as it may offer a clearer picture as to their respective performance levels at a similar standard of football.
Appearances
27
29
Goals
6
6
Big chances created
10
8
Assists
9
3
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.0
1.1
Duel success rate
53%
44%
As you can see in the table above, Jackson offers a greater threat at the top end of the pitch whilst also being more effective for his side out of possession, showing that he is a more well-rounded midfield player who can impact games on and off the ball.
This is not to say that Hatate is a bad player or someone the club should be looking to move on from any time soon, but it does suggest that the Hoops should rue their mistake when they let the Australia international leave for a ‘small’ fee back in 2015.
Irvine, who was once branded a “revelation” by former boss Nigel Clough, has impressed in the top two tiers of German football with St. Pauli and has seemingly proven himself to be an even better player than the Japan international, which suggests that Rodgers would love to have him as an option in his current squad.
He's better than Tierney: Celtic must rue losing "world-class" star for £0
Celtic allowed the talented young defender to move on from the club at academy level.
ByDan EmeryMar 3, 2025
Unfortunately, Celtic had already allowed Irvine to join Ross County on a permanent deal a year before the Northern Irish head coach arrived at Parkhead for his first spell in charge in 2016.
