Celtic losing Kyogo was disappointing, then selling Nicolas Kuhn was another blow but selling Daizen would be an absolute disaster…
Daizen Maeda of Celtic Ajax v Celtic, Como Cup Pre Season Football, Football, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como, Italy – 24 Jul 2025Como Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia Italy. Photo Shutterstock IMAGO
Like all of Celtic’s forward players Daizen Maeda hasn’t exactly had the greatest of starts to the season…
He looked a little rusty and lacklustre against St Mirren and Aberdeen in the opening two league fixtures of the season but he remains our biggest threat through the middle when he eventually gets the chance to play as a striker.
Form is temporary and class is permanent as they say, and that looked to be the case for Daizen as he looked more like his old self in the 4-1 thumping of Falkirk in the Premier Sports League Cup on Friday evening at Celtic Park.
Daizen’s all-round game was excellent on Friday night
Not just because of his goal which kickstarted the victory as we eased into the quarter finals, but his all-round game was excellent as he ran himself into the ground once more as he covered every inch of grass whilst posing a serious threat for the hour or so he was on the park.
Mg Como 24/07/2025 – amichevole / Ajax-Celtic / foto Matteo Gribaudi/Image nella foto: Daizen Maeda. Photo IMAGO
Daizen was a worthy Player of the Year last season, he was so good even the hacks had no choice other than give him the award, admittedly through gritted teeth. So Brendan Rodgers needs to do all we can to hold onto him this transfer window especially after losing the valuable contributions of Nicolas Kuhn.
Daizen and KT are forming a promising partnership
On his day Nicolas was superb for us, especially on the biggest stage of all, in the UEFA Champions League. However Daizen is better and much more important to the side in so many ways. He also looks as if he’s building up a terrific understanding with Kieran Tierney on the left hand side of the park, which can only benefit us this season when the pair get that relationship fully formed.
Daizen Maeda of Celtic during the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie on 10 August 2025. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI-IMAGO
Chris Sutton reckons Daizen must not be sold – even for £75m!
Yesterday Chris Sutton was saying in his newspaper column that even for £75m Daizen should NOT be sold – although the chances of the Celtic Board knocking that sort of money back are nil, as we all know.
Daizen is likely to attract bids of around £15m from the likes of Brentford – a club that has won nothing in its entire history. That would be a crazy decision by Celtic to sell Daizen even if they had already signed replacements for both Kyogo and Nicolas Kuhn. If Michael Nicholson is finding it difficult to replace Kyogo and Khun well I can tell him now that it would be simply IMPOSSIBLE to replace Daizen Maeda.
Losing Kyogo in January was bad enough. Then selling Nicolas Kuhn in July was another blow, but both are losses we can move on from, but losing Daizen would be catastrophic as he’s a player whose talents we can ill afford to be deprived of. We need to do all we can to keep Daizen at the club for the challenges ahead.
Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring Celtic’s first goal with James Forrest and Kieran Tierney during the Premier Sports League Cup match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on August 15, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Chris Sutton also noted that Brendan’s remarks on Daizen staying at the club were hardly emphatic and of course his observations are both accurate and concerning. The biggest concern is that the talk of a contract extension – and a pay rise taking Daizen’s modest salary (in terms of the Celtic squad) up towards the top earners like Calmac and CCV.
If that hasn’t happened it’s likely more to do with the player and his agents rather than Celtic. But he has two years remaining and IF he doesn’t want to go then Celtic should simply tell him that he will NOT be sold in this transfer window or indeed in January, then cash in next summer with no reduction in the fee that should be achieved.
Daizen Maeda with his Multiple awards from the Celtic POTY Awards including Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year. Photo Celtic FC
Daizen isn’t the type of player who would down tools and even if he did he’d be damaging his own chances of getting a move. Plus staying at Celtic for at least one more season (all going well in the play-offs) would given him one more chance at playing Champions League football.
That’s not happening anytime soon at Brentford.
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If lawwell had been around in 1967 there would have been no 9 in a row, he’d have sold jinky, Bobby Murdoch, etc, any body who believe that Nicholson is running the show must be on something. How can a man who has never been heard to utter two words, negotiate deals with other clubs?. Everybody knows it lawwell in the background who’s still in charge, And i do believe if a great offer comes in for Daizen Maeda, he’ll be off, lawwell doesn’t care what the Celtic supporters think, he views us as peasants who’s only there to make him and his tory pals richer.
Sorry to rain on your parade, but I heard a rumour yesterday that a deal has already been done to sell him either after the qualifier or, if we win handsomely on Wednesday, before the second leg.
Whether there is any truth in it remains to be seen but personally I wouldn’t be surprised by any actions our “Custodians” do.