adminFormer Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate enjoyed an instant impact on his Burnley debut, although manager Nicky Hayen feels there is still much more to come from the Japanese international.
Hatate finalised his deadline-day transfer from Celtic last week, bringing his four-and-a-half-year stint in Glasgow to a close.
The 28-year-old was quickly named in the starting line-up for his new side against Bristol City on Saturday and registered an assist on his first appearance, despite Burnley suffering a 2-1 loss.
Hatate played for 63 minutes at Turf Moor and offered flashes of the creativity that made him such a key player throughout his time at Celtic.
Hayen was pleased with what he witnessed, especially Hatate’s ability to find space between the lines and fashion opportunities, but feels the midfielder is still building towards full fitness after becoming a peripheral figure at Celtic during the latter stages of his spell.
The former Club Brugge boss said via Burnley Express: “You see that we now have players who can play perfectly between the lines, who can give that pre-assist but also assist, who keeps the overview. So it will be in our benefit in the upcoming weeks.
So the goal was actually a nice example of it, but we also expect more.
“But you cannot expect more when you’re not 100 per cent top and this is what we try to push for every day.”
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