Celtic Star Once Thrilled Chris Sutton Now Outperformed by Hatate
Brendan Rodgers, head coach of Celtic, faces a challenging start to the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season. Currently, the team occupies second place in the league, trailing Hearts by two points after seven matches. Additionally, Celtic’s disappointing exit from the Champions League came after a penalty shootout against Kairat, coupled with an unremarkable start in the Europa League, where they have garnered just one point from two matches.
Despite these setbacks, Celtic managed to secure a victory against Motherwell, with Daizen Maeda scoring a stoppage-time winner. However, the team’s struggles to find the net are evident, having failed to score in five matches across all competitions. Goal-scoring issues plague the squad, with summer signing Benjamin Nygren the only player to net more than two league goals, having scored four from a central midfield position.
Celtic’s Goal Scoring Woes
Last season, Celtic had seven players reach double-digit goals, showcasing their scoring strength. Here are some of the key statistics from the previous season:
| Player | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Daizen Maeda | 51 | 33 |
| Nicolas Kuhn | 51 | 21 |
| Adam Idah | 53 | 20 |
| Kyogo Furuhashi | 32 | 12 |
| Reo Hatate | 55 | 11 |
| Callum McGregor | 54 | 10 |
| Arne Engels | 52 | 10 |
Three of the club’s top scorers from last season have departed, affecting the team’s offensive capabilities. Kelechi Iheanacho, who replaced Idah, has scored three goals in six appearances. However, his contributions, along with those from newly recruited players Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, have not made a significant impact, combining for just one goal so far.
Concerns Over Player Performance
Reo Hatate, despite a promising previous season with 11 goals and nine assists, has only managed a single goal in ten appearances this term. This regression raises alarms for his potential and impact on the squad. Meanwhile, Arne Engels, the club’s record £11 million signing from Augsburg, has significantly underperformed. After a successful debut season marked by ten goals and 13 assists, his current statistics reflect a troubling decline.
| Stat | 24/25 Season | 25/26 Season |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 34 | 6 |
| Goals | 9 | 0 |
| Assists | 6 | 0 |
| Key Passes per Game | 1.7 | 0.7 |
| Duel Success Rate | 49% | 27% |
Engels’ recent form, marked by poor performance metrics, is concerning not only for the team’s immediate success but also for his market value, which has dropped from £10.4 million to £8.7 million this season. Concerns grow for Rodgers and his staff as they seek to revive the Belgian’s form, essential for both team dynamics and financial accountability.
