Celtic star 'wants out' amid January exit rumours as under-fire Rangers chief lands influential new Euro role
Latest news and transfer rumours surrounding Celtic and Rangers on Thursday afternoon
With the January transfer window due to reopen in the near future, Celtic and Rangers will be determined to get through until then without any further major blemishes.
It has been a challenging first half of the campaign for both clubs, with Brendan Rodgers resigning as Hoops manager at the end of last month and head coach Danny Rohl replacing Russell Martin in the dugout at Ibrox.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding both clubs:
Daizen Maeda ‘set’ for January Celtic exit as replacement plan drawn up
Daizen Maeda looks poised for a January exit with Celtic reportedly bracing themselves for a mid-season bidding war.
The Hoops have already turned down several approaches for the Japanese international in previous transfer windows, with the attacker facing ongoing questions about his future at Parkhead after coming close to leaving the Scottish champions in the summer.
Maeda vented his own frustration publicly in his homeland after club officials had been unwilling to green light a move to an unnamed Bundesliga side because they didn’t have a replacement lined up. Previous boss Brendan Rodgers had wanted more bodies in the door before allowing Maeda to depart.
Premier League outfit Brentford were also keen on the players, with sources close to Maeda now confirming there is still strong interest in the 28-year-old going into the new year.
He could finally leave Celtic, with Celtic’s recruitment team already starting to explore other at attacking options and possible replacements. It’s understood Maeda had even emptied his locker because he was pushing for a late deal to be done last time around.
Lifting the lid on what happened to Japanese press back in September, he admitted: “I received an offer. I had been telling the club that I wanted to take the next step, but Celtic hadn’t been able to strengthen their squad properly, so in the end they told me they couldn’t let me go.
“Personally, I had agreed, so I wanted to take on the challenge. The national team also delayed my joining, and I asked Celtic until the last day, but it didn’t happen.”
Maeda has failed to hit the impressive heights he did last term so far but still remains one of their top assets.
Rangers CEO appointed to key role involving FIFA and UEFA
Rangers' CEO Patrick Stewart has been appointed to a group that helps shape UEFA, FIFA, and EU decisions.
The former Manchester United chief has been given a place on the Legal and Regulatory Working Group of the European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly the European Club Association.
The EFC’s working group is viewed as one of the most influential governance forums and helps directly shape decisions at UEFA, FIFA and EU level. It provides clubs with the platform to solve issues together and push for changes that will have a ‘genuine’ impact throughout football.
Stewart commented: “Rangers needs to be present in the rooms where decisions are shaped, both domestically and in Europe, to make sure the interests of our club and supporters are understood.
“With regulation evolving fast, having a seat at the table also allows us to anticipate developments and influence them where we can.”