Celtic were always expected to make transfer moves for J1 League stars, with Ange Postecoglou having spent several years managing there. And with the Japanese football season coming to an end the week before Christmas, the January transfer window provides the Hoops with the perfect chance to sign some players from there in order to strengthen their squad.
They have been linked with quite a few Japanese stars recently. Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate have been standouts in the J1 League this season. On the other hand, the links with Gamba Osaka’s Yosuke Ideguchi have emerged recently.
Out of those three, Maeda could be the perfect signing for Celtic in January. The Japanese star topped the J1 League scoring charts this season along with Leandro Damiao. And having already played under the management of Postecoglou during their time together at Yokohama F. Marinos, a potential move would a make a lot of sense.
Amidst all this, Maeda was pictured with Andres Iniesta at the J League Awards. Vissel Kobe tweeted out:
INIESTA & FRIENDS 😃😃#中村憲剛#前田大然#稲垣祥#荒木遼太郎
— ヴィッセル神戸 (@visselkobe) December 7, 2021
イニエスタ選手のツーショットシリーズ！📸#visselkobe #ヴィッセル神戸 #Jリーグアウォーズ pic.twitter.com/KTC4fwZObA
Maeda pictured with Iniesta while rumours surrounding Celtic continue to grow
The rumours surrounding Maeda with a move to Celtic first emerged over a month earlier and since then, they have only grown.
According to stats from Transfermarkt, he scored 23 goals and provided 5 assists in 36 J1 League appearances this season. And thus, it is not hard to understand why Celtic might be interested in his signature.
Possessing exceptional pace and stamina, intelligent movement in the box, an eye for goal and the ability to finish with both his feet, and prior experience of playing in Europe, many believe that Maeda can be a brilliant addition for Celtic.
On top of everything else, he also has an understanding of Postecoglou’s style of football having played under the manager in the past.