Daizen Maeda, born 20 October 1997 (age 28) in Japan, is renowned for his crucial role as a forward, primarily playing as a left winger for Celtic. With a stature of 1.73m (5ft 8in) and weight of 68kg (10st 9lb), he's an agile force on the field. His number 38 jersey at Celtic is worn with pride, and you may also recognise him from his appearances for the Japanese national team.
His current market value is around €14.00m, according to Transfermarkt, which converts to approximately £11.9m.
Maeda's career began in earnest in January 2016, when he transferred to Matsumoto Yamaga, within the relatively humble environment of the Japan Lower Leagues. He managed nine first team appearances in that debut season. By the 2019 season, Maeda had tallied up another 18 appearances and bagged his first two goals.
In a brief career detour, Maeda was loaned to Mito Hollyhock in the J2 League in January 2017. His improvement continued there with 20 first team appearances and an impressive eight goals. Upon completion of his loan, he returned to Matsumoto Yamaga in 2018.
After another stint at Matsumoto Yamaga, where he appeared in 18 first team matches and scored two goals, Maeda sought greener pastures. In July 2019, he moved on loan to Marítimo in Portugal's Liga Portugal 2 league, again increasing his tally of first team appearances and goals.
August 2020 heralded the next stage of Maeda's career, as he transferred to Yokohama F. Marinos in the J1 League. The heights he reached in the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Yokohama were phenomenal: he made a combined 59 first team appearances and scored a total of 26 goals.
However, it seems that Maeda truly found his footing at Celtic, whence he transferred in January 2022. His impact was immediate and impressive. Over successive seasons, Maeda racked up an imposing number of first team appearances and goals. Highlights include the 2024 - 2025 season with 34 first team appearances and 16 goals, and the current 2025 - 2026 season, wherein he has already made 20 first team appearances and scored seven goals.
After an interim period on loan at Celtic, Maeda made his move permanent in July 2022 for a fee of around £1.4m. During the ensuing seasons, Maeda has shown his worth with reliable, strong performances on the pitch.
He participated in the League Cup 2025 - 2026 for Celtic, contributing one goal from three starts and a substitute appearance. Maeda also shone on the international stage, appearing in World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024 - 2026 for Japan, as well as both the Champions League Qualifiers and the Europa League for Celtic during the 2025 - 2026 season.
With accomplishments that speak for themselves, Maeda continues to be a player to watch, delivering solid performances for Celtic and enhancing his experience and prowess every step of the way.
