Rodgers could get a Hattat upgrade in Celtic's swoop for the 'superb' star.

The January transfer window officially opened on Wednesday and Celtic They could look to make some changes to their lineup ahead of the second half of the season.

Their 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Thursday was only their second loss in all competitions this season, after a 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the other, but that does not mean there is no room for improvement.

In reality, Brendan Rodgers He is already looking to close in on his first signing in the window with Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney said to be an active target.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that Hoops in conversations To reach an agreement to return the Scottish international to Glasgow for a second spell, with the player keen to return to the club.

This could put Greg Taylor's future, as Parkhead's current first choice left-back, in doubt, especially as a centre-half Interest has been reported from Dinamo Zagreb In the cannons.

Taylor is not the only Celtic player who should be worried about potential players coming in to replace them, as midfielder Rio Hattat could also be at risk.

Ryo Hatate's performance this season

The Japan international's inconsistent performances have been an issue for him this season, with the star midfielder failing to produce a consistent run of excellent performances for the Hoops.

His 2024/25 campaign can be summed up by his last three league appearances for Celtic. Scottish Premier League. In matches against St Johnstone and Motherwell, Hattie Produced a goalmade an assist, and created “two big chances”, posing a major threat at the top of the pitch.

However, the Japanese lightweight followed that up with a disappointing performance against Rangers in a 3-0 Old Firm defeat at Ibrox on Thursday.

As you can see in the table above, Hattat offered very little off the ball, won one duel, and struggled mightily on the ball, creating more shots for the Gers – with two fouls resulting in shots – than he did for Celtic.

The 27-year-old midfielder scored Five goals and one assist In 19 Premier League appearances for Celtic so far, which shows he has provided a decent, but not great, threat at the top of the pitch.

And you came too He lost 53% of his duelsshowing that opposition players found it too easy to overcome at times, and averaged less than one tackle (0.9) and less than one interception (0.3) per match.

These stats show that the Celtic midfielder has struggled with his lack of possession at times, letting himself down in the physical aspect of the game, while also being inconsistent with his use of the ball at the top of the pitch.

Therefore, Hatati could be in danger if the Hoops decide to swoop in to bolster their midfield options this month, especially amid reported interest in a player in his position.

Celtic interest in the English midfield star

You mentioned the boot room Last month, Celtic were one of a number of clubs looking to sign Burnley captain Josh Brownhill to strengthen their squad.

It is claimed that both the Hoops and Rangers are willing to send pre-contract offers to sign the England midfielder, whose contract at Turf Moor is set to expire at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina and Lazio have already made offers for the former Bristol City star, while Everton, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Leeds are also said to be keen on signing him.

The report did not reveal whether or not Brownhill would be willing to move north to Glasgow, but stated that he has not signed the new contract on the table from Burnley, opening the door to a move away from Turf Moor.

It is now up to Rodgers and his team to convince the player that a move to Parkhead is the best next step for him in his career, as the star midfielder could be a great addition to the squad and an upgrade on Hattie, whether he joins in January on a free transfer in the summer.

Why is Josh Brownhill an upgrade over Reo Hatate

The 29-year-old maestro's form for Burnley in the Championship this season suggests he can come in and offer more than the Japan international in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants.

Brownhill who produced Four goals and two assists In the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, he is an attack-minded midfielder who can also contribute through possession to help his team.

As you can see in the figure above, the £45,000 per week The Dinamo rank incredibly highly in a number of key attacking metrics over the past 365 days, including Premier League and Championship statistics included.

In the current campaign specifically, Brownhill has contributed Nine goals and three assists In 24 appearances in the second tier for Burnley, it shows that he has been a major threat at the top of the pitch for Scott Parker.

These stats suggest the Clarets captain could provide better quality than Hattat, who has scored five league goals, in front of the Hoops' goal if they can bring him to the Park.

The graphic above also shows that Brownhill can provide a greater defensive presence, with twice as many tackles and interceptions per game on average this season.

So the Burnley player was once described as “Awesome” player. By pundit Lee Hendrie He could be an upgrade on Hatate with his use of the ball and his work out of possession, scoring more goals and making more tackles to win the ball back for his team.

That's why Rodgers must push the board to win the hotly contested race to sign the 29-year-old either this month, or in free agency in the summer.