Daizen Maeda was back amongst the goals last weekend as a late strike sealed a comeback 3-2 win for Celtic against Motherwell. It was a very important goal for the Hoops to say the very least, as they would have fallen four points behind Hearts without it. That being said, one cannot overlook the fact that the Japanese forward has been nowhere near his best for a while.
He struggled towards the end of last season and has not started this campaign in good form either. And one has to wonder how much of that is down to the uncertainty around his future at the club.
Celtic did not sanction Maeda's exit in the summer. The Japanese forward has made it very clear though that he was keen on leaving. Naturally, it is very possible that it might have had an effect on his game.
There were rumours earlier that a move to the Bundesliga was close in the summer. Now, it looks like Maeda has his heart set on a move to England, whether it happens in the winter or at the end of the season. As reported by 67 Hail Hail, Graeme Bailey said:
"Maeda is ready to leave and I am told a move to England is very much on his radar, and he does have interest.
“Whether Celtic will let him out in January remains to be seen, but he will only have a year left come the summer and at that point he will go."
Daizen Maeda has already decided next destination after Celtic
Of course, that is a path that many Celtic players have travelled before Maeda. For some, it proved to be a success, but for others, it was a mistake.
There are glittering examples like Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Kris Ajer, Ryan Christie, amongst others, who went on to succeed in England and in the Premier League. But then, there are plenty who never found their feet down south. Odsonne Edouard is a phenomenal example of someone who was phenomenal in Glasgow but could not get the job done in London.
Of course, when you are a top professional footballer, self-belief is the first thing that you need. So, it is hard to imagine that others before him failing would deter Maeda from making a move to England.