Daizen Maeda, a football forward primarily playing as a left winger for Celtic, was born on 20 October 1997 in Japan. He has a compact build at 5ft 8in (1.73m) tall and a weight of 10st 9lb (68kg). As a representative of the Japan national team, Maeda dons the number 38 jersey on the field. The pinnacle of his market value was observed to be around €12.00m (£10m, rounded), as recorded by Transfermarkt.
Maeda's professional football career saw its inception in January 2016 when he joined Matsumoto Yamaga in the Japan Lower Leagues. His debut season was rather modest with Maeda making just nine first team league match appearances. However, by the 2019 season, Maeda had managed to notch up 18 first team appearances and net two goals.
In January 2017, Maeda transferred to J2 Leaguers Mito Hollyhock on loan. Milestones were met that season, with Maeda making 20 first team appearances and committing eight goals to his record. However, the loan was temporary, and Maeda returned to Matsumoto Yamaga in 2018, where he emulated his past performance with two goals in 18 matches.
July 2019 saw a shift in Maeda's career. He was loaned out internationally to Marítimo in Portugal's Liga Portugal 2. The season was another stepping stone, with Maeda tallying three goals in 23 first-team appearances. Having displayed promising qualities whilst on loan, Maeda was transferred back to his homeland to play for Yokohama F. Marinos in the J1 League. This tenure saw the striker display his pinnacle performance with an impressive 23 goals in 36 appearances in the 2021 season.
In January 2022, Maeda was loaned to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, making a considerable impact with six goals in 16 appearances. Unsurprisingly, six months later, the loan turned into a transfer for a fee of around £1.4m. Laying down roots in Scotland proved fruitful for Maeda, with a steady increase in his performance across seasons at Celtic. From 2021 to 2026, Maeda has managed to score 43 goals in 144 appearances in league matches, barring the current season where he has already scored seven goals in 31 appearances.
The international forward has not been sparse in his contributions outside the league as well. He has marked his presence in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup for Celtic in the 2025-2026 season and the World Cup Qualifiers Asia for Japan from 2024 to 2026. Not to mention, his involvement in the Champions League Qualifiers and the Europa League for Celtic in the 2025-2026 season, marking a significant chapter in his career.
As a forward of great fruition for Celtic over a number of seasons, Maeda's time at the club will be remembered for the goals he scored and, undoubtedly, the contribution he made to the successes enjoyed during his time at Scotland.
