Daizen Maeda, the lively and dynamic forward born on 20th October 1997 in Japan, currently plies his trade with Celtic, primarily in the role of a left winger. Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall (or 1.73m for those of a metric persuasion) and weighing just over ten stone (68kg), he dons the number 38 jersey and has the honour of representing his birth nation on the international stage.
As it stands, Transfermarkt values Maeda at around £6.5m. With his contract with Celtic set to expire on 31 May 2027, he has 2 years and 3 months left to weave his magic on the pitch for the Bhoys.
Maeda's football journey began in earnest in January 2016 when he joined Matsumoto Yamaga, a club in Japan's lower leagues. In his debut season, he made nine first-team appearances in league matches. By the 2019 season, he had eased into the rhythm of the game, making 18 appearances and scoring twice.
In a bid for experience and growth, Maeda switched clubs in January 2017, moving on loan to Mito Hollyhock in the J2 League, also in Japan. It was a successful outing for the young player, culminating in 20 first-team outings and eight goals. His loan spell over, Maeda returned to Matsumoto Yamaga in 2018, bringing with him the experience of playing in a more competitive league.
July 2019 saw Maeda venture overseas for the first time when he moved to Marítimo in Portugal's Liga Portugal 2. That season, he made 23 appearances for his new club, finding the back of the net thrice.
With a taste for international football, Maeda transferred to Yokohama F. Marinos in the J1 League in August 2020, however, the exact figures of the transfer remain undisclosed. In two seasons with the club, he made 59 appearances and scored a remarkable 26 times.
January 2022 marked a turning point in Maeda's career. He left Yokohama on loan and joined Celtic. In his first two and a half seasons at Celtic, he made 79 first-team appearances, hinting at his important role in the team. He proved his worth, notching up 22 goals in the process. A definitive transfer to Celtic took place in July 2022 for around £1.4m, cementing his place in the Scottish Premiership.
Maeda's performance on the various stages has been commendable. In the Champions League 2023-2024, he made four appearances for Celtic. In the Scottish League Cup 2024-2025, he scored six goals in just three outings. In the same season's Scottish Cup, he netted five times in three games. In the 2024-2026 World Cup Qualifiers Asia for Japan, he scored once in his sole start and five substitute appearances. The following Champions League season saw him scoring four times in nine starts.
