Reo Hatate sets the Celtic transfer exit rules amid swirling Tottenham rumours as he aims for 'high level'

Ambitious Reo Hatate admits he wants to move to one of the top five leagues in Europe when he leaves Celtic.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a big move to the English Premier League or abroad after an excellent season for Celtic, with some speculation Ange Postecoglou could look to take the midfielder to Tottenham this summer. An exit for the Japan international would be a major blow for the incoming Hoops boss – with Brendan Rodgers edging closer to a return to Glasgow's east end.

Hatate appears to be in no rush to leave the Scottish Premiership champions off the back of a Treble winning campaign – as he admitted he was happy to take on the Champions League group stage for a second time next term. But he admitted he wants to play at a "high level" for a full season as he eyes one of the five major leagues – the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A.

In a sitdown interview with GOAL in Japan, Hatate was quizzed on his ambitions for the future after impressing at Celtic. He responded: "If there is a chance to step up, I would like to play in various leagues.

"As a football player, I think everyone wants to play at a high level throughout the season. When I was in the J-League, I thought it was impossible to play in the five major leagues.

"However, because I was able to achieve a certain amount of results throughout the season with Celtic, I started to think that I would like to challenge myself next time. If there is a chance, I would like to take on the challenge.

"Of course, if I stay with this team, I can still have good experiences, and next season I will be in the Champions League. I think that by always standing at the top and fighting, I will be mentally stronger, so it would be nice if