Most of the talk in recent days has been about Celtic's next manager and the potential signings they could make in the upcoming January transfer window. At the same time, there are those who could be heading for the Parkhead exit door as well. And one of them is drawing interest from some of Premier League's biggest clubs.
Considering the situation that Celtic find themselves in, the Hoops must be careful, not to weaken the squad any further. That being said, if a player wants to leave, it is pretty difficult to keep them at the club.
Daizen Maeda is one player who seemed interested in a move away from Celtic in the summer. And while that exit did not materialise, his stance on a move away from Parkhead has not changed as we head towards the January transfer window.
As reported by TEAMtalk, Maeda has informed the club of his desire to depart in the January window. Brentford, Leeds United and Everton are among five Premier League clubs that want to sign the Japanese forward.
Leeds United and Everton want Celtic player this January
It is understandable why Celtic might have been reluctant to part ways with Maeda in the summer. He was coming off the best season of his career and was adjudged the best player in Scotland in the previous campaign. On top of that, the Hoops had seen Nicholas Kuhn join Como FC, while also struggling to bring in quality talents to the club.
Things have changed over the past few months though. Maeda's form has faded away this season and he has only managed four goals so far. That is a far cry from where he was in the previous campaign, and perhaps a change of scenery would suit both.
For Maeda, it would be a change to start a new adventure after spending four years with Celtic. On the other hand, the club would have the chance to bring in someone who can contribute to the team, which the Japanese forward is struggling to at the moment.