Celtic star outlines 'strong desire' to play in English Premier League as Parkhead exit ambitions made clear
Hoops talisman looks headed for the exit door
Celtic hero Daizen Maeda has told Japanese media that he has a ‘strong desire’ to play in the English Premier League as his spell at Parkhead nears its conclusion.
The 28-year old came alive in the title race run-in last season and helped the club secure the domestic double. After a strong World Cup with Japan in the Americas, more potential suitors have come to light. Hoops boss Martin O’Neill is hoping to keep his forward until the end of his contract in a years time, however he’s also somewhat resigned to losing Maeda during the summer transfer window.
Premier League sides Everton, Fulham Nottingham Forest and Brentford have all expressed an interest in Maeda, who Celtic still categorise as a valuable asset despite his nearing contract expiration. The Japan international has scored 79 goals in 212 Hoops appearances since joining from Yokohama F Marinos in 2021.
Maeda on Premier League ambition
Celtic’s resident Duracell Bunny told PIVOT: “Since I went to Celtic, I became interested in the Premier League. I started watching a lot of Premier League games. I have a strong desire to play in the Premier League. I watch all the games. When I was in Japan, I didn’t watch football at all.
“But when I went abroad, I was able to watch it in real time. So I naturally watched the Premier League. I was watching Atletico’s game and (Antoine) Griezmann scored a loop shot. The next day, I scored the same loop shot. So I thought it was important to watch football. I think the higher you go, the better you get.”
Maeda’s Celtic and Japan teammate Reo Hatate also looks set to leave the club after he informed chiefs that he’d like a transfer elsewhere. The 28-year old still has two years on his contract but O’Neill is also resigned to losing him. Despite this, the veteran boss admitted he’d ‘love’ to keep Maeda.
O’Neill resigns to losing Japanese duo
Speaking at Celtic’s warm weather training camp in Portugal regarding Maeda, O’Neill said: "I think there's some resignation in that aspect. It isn't one of those where he's got a year left to run and we want to try and make something of it in the sense of getting money. It's not that at all. Personally speaking, I would love it if he just let his contract run through. And played for the last year. Honestly, it would be super but I don't know whether that's in his mind or in his agent's mind.
"I think that Reo has done exceptionally well at the football club since he arrived. People have said he might even have been the best player in Scotland two or three years ago. I think myself that he's probably looking to maybe see if there's new pastures for him. I'd love to keep [Maeda] at the football club. He's done brilliantly, and he's got a year left to run. But I said to him, if he left the football club, I would be obviously disappointed, but he couldn't have done any more for us.”
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