You've got to hand it to Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers for his sense of timing.

The signs are ominous for the prospects of keeping Danish midfielder Matt O'Riley with the vultures circling as the summer transfer window clock ticks down after Chelsea became the latest side to be linked with a move for Celtic's prized asset before the August 30 deadline.

The Stamford Bridge outfit are forming an orderly queue alongside Europa League winners Atalanta and fellow Premier League team Southampton in vying for the 23-year-old's signature.

Celtic are financially stable and do not need to sell but amid all the transfer furore, Rodgers delivered a masterclass in man-management as he purred over Japanese playmaker Reo Hatate, the successor to the throne in midfield.

Hatate was outstanding during Celtic's 4-0 Flag Day win over Kilmarnock as he bagged the opener as the defending champions kicked off the 2024/25 campaign in fine style, sweeping home the first goal with a low shot with his right boot from just inside the box after 17 minutes, and Celtic never really looked back after that as they cruised to victory.

Post-match, Rodgers timed his praise of Hatate to perfection as he outlined just how vital he will be to the club moving forward amid the swirling vortex surrounding O'Riley.

Rodgers said: "I think from what I’ve seen over the course of pre-season, he’s top class. For whatever reason, I didn’t see the player that I hoped to see at the beginning of last season.

“I was aware of him, I’d seen him play and I liked what I’d see but he never really got going through pre-season last year and not to what I was wanting. He got injured and then it was really broken for him.

“He knows I like him as a player and he knows what I want from him as a player. I’d hoped I could see that last season but it doesn’t matter. He’s here now and he’s been absolutely brilliant since his comeback. So, I’m really pleased for him. I just think it’s probably him maybe gaining a bit more clarity around what I want from a central midfield player.

“I want all the players to do their very best for Celtic and then that ambition to do well for Celtic will help them in their individual careers. So, for me, it was always about balance. There was always a wonderful, gifted player in how he takes the ball and how he operates in space. For me, it was about keeping the risk in the game.

"I don’t like midfield players who keep the ball 10 times out of 10. It’s no good. But there are areas of the pitch in which to risk it.

"I think now he really sees the balance in the game between keeping the ball, keeping good concentration, and linking the game, but still having the threat.

“You would have seen that in pre-season, you would have seen it at times in the second half of last season. Now I see a much more complete player.”

(Image: Alan Harvey - SNS Group)

Compare and contrast this to the opening game of last season, when Hatate was benched as David Turnbull started the opening-day encounter at Parkhead and scored twice in a 4-2 win. Back then Hatate's body language smacked of a man who wanted to leave the club and injuries reduced him to bit-part player for the rest of the season. 

Rodgers even called Hatate out on his ball retention and distribution at one stage last season when he admitted that the player gave possession away too much for his liking.

What a difference a year makes. Hatate was all smiles after a man-of-the-match display against Kilmarnock and was grinning from ear to ear.

He celebrated Liam Scales' goal with gusto, knee sliding towards the Irishman and jumped on his back after his header had made it 2-0, and seemed perfectly happy to be at Celtic despite recent talk of a move to EPL new boys Leicester City.

Rodgers knew exactly what he was doing by bigging up Hatate when he did. He is going to need his 'complete player' more than ever if the club decide to sell O'Riley in the remaining days of the window.

There is a clip of Hatate and Rodgers doing the rounds on social media, taken as the two men walked down the tunnel during the pre-season match against Manchester City in the USA.

The duo are deep in conversation but it seemed like a lightbulb moment for Hatate who turned to Rodgers and smiled as if to say the penny had finally dropped.

Hatate now knows his role and how he should function in a Rodgers Celtic team. Rodgers is doing what Rodgers does and that is improving players beyond recognition, all the while keeping one eye on the future for his squad on the park. 

The transfer chat and buzz right now might be about O'Riley but Hatate is another midfield gem in the offing that Rodgers is polishing up, and in 12 months it could well be his name on everybody's lips and being linked with big-money moves.

That will, of course, depend on Hatate. It is now up to him to write his own chapter and elevate his game to the next level. Just ask O'Riley all about that.

If Hatate continues to listen and learn as well as continually grow and develop under Rodgers then it stands to reason that the big contract offer from a top European league will eventually come Celtic's way.

If and when that happens, pay attention to Rodgers' post-match quotes, as you can be assured the elite manager will be thinking 10 steps ahead with a successor in mind once again.