The forward has revealed that a move to another club was scrapped in the final hours of the window
20:00, 05 Sep 2025Updated 20:29, 05 Sep 2025
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Daizen Maeda is expected to be sold in January after the Celtic winger revealed he wanted a Parkhead departure before the end of the summer window.
The forward was the key man for Brendan Rodgers last season as the Hoops claimed a double and impressed in the Champions League – as he netted 33 goals before sweeping the Player of the Year awards.
But it has been a slow start for the 27-year-old who revealed while on international duty with Japan that he had agreed terms with another club.
While Maeda admitted he wanted a new challenge, Celtic were unable to find a replacement and an exit was scrapped.
But former Parkhead midfielder Scott Allan reckons a move will come in the winter window – as he expects the board to finally green light a recruitment drive.
He told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard: “You knew there would be interest in Maeda off the back of the season he had.
“You look at the goals he scored and the ability he has to constantly press teams.
“But, you can see it has affected him in terms of performance – he just hasn’t got going as of yet this season., but it is how Celtic now deal with that.
“How does Brendan Rodgers get the best out of Daizen Maeda up until January – because you would expect another bid to come in.
“You would like to think Celtic get something done in January – but it’s what Brendan Rodgers can do between this time and January to get the most out of this side.”
The lack of a replacement for Maeda has forced Rodgers to abandon one of his transfer rules that came into play when Kyogo Furuhashi departed in January.
He insisted that no player that didn’t want to be a Celtic player would be kept – shortly before the striker joined Stade Rennes.
At the time he said: “I think the biggest thing is if a player doesn’t want to be here, then go.
“And then it’s at that point, then the club has to get the best possible deal. So I don’t ever see the point of keeping someone who doesn’t want to be here.”
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