Celtic manager makes unexpected Daizen Maeda confession

It was almost a no brainer on the part of Celtic to make a move for Daizen Maeda. The Japanese star had topped the J1 League scoring charts in the 2021 season despite not being an out and out striker. On top of that, he has already played under the management of Ange Postecoglou during their time together at Yokohama F. Marinos and looks like the perfect player for his style of football.

Thus, Maeda’s arrival is seen as a massive boost for Celtic. He is initially on loan till the end of the season, which will be made permanent in the summer.

After the success that Kyogo has enjoyed since joining Celtic in the summer, it is safe to say that there will be a lot of expectations around Maeda as well as Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.

But if things had gone to plan, Maeda might have already been at Parkhead for a while now. As reported by The Scotsman, Postecoglou recently told Celtic TV:

"“I was actually keen to try to bring him in during the summer window, but it’s very hard to get Japanese players to come across mid-season.“Yokohama were doing well, and it was one I felt we could wait until January to bring him in, because I knew his attributes and I felt he would do well for us and in this league.”"

Maeda has the potential to be a great signing for Celtic

The only player from the J1 League that Celtic were able to bring in in the summer was Kyogo and that proved to be an incredible choice on the part of the Hoops.

Kyogo has proven to be an absolute superstar ever since arriving at Parkhead and it was his brace against Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup final that handed Celtic their first piece of silverware in a while after finishing the 2020/21 campaign without a trophy.

Maeda has the potential to be a great signing for the club as well. He is fast, versatile, has great movement, the ability to finish with both his feet and on top of everything else, he will be very aware of how Postecoglou wants him to play.