Report: Celtic close to agreeing bumper Daizen Maeda contract | OneFootball

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Daizen Maeda to a longterm deal. The Scottish Champions have prioritised securing Maeda’s future this summer after his scintillating form last season.

As reported by Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Celtic are progressing in their attempts to extend the 27-year-old’s stay in Glasgow.

Maeda is attracting interest from around Europe due to his scintillating goalscoring form last campaign. Maeda moved through the middle after Kyogo left for Rennes and the player didn’t look back. Maeda scored 33 goals and assisted 12 times in 51 appearances as Celtic retained the Scottish Premiership while regaining the Premier Sports Cup, being rewarded with the Player of the Year Award, Players’ Player of the Year, PFA Scotland Player of the Year as well as the SFWA Player of the Year.

So far, it appears that Maeda will return out left but that may be in part down to Jota’s injury layoff. Celtic have added Callum Osmand to compete in attack but they are expected to sign Japanese forward Shin Yamada too.

Celtic signed Maeda from Yokohama F Marinos in the January of Ange Postecoglou’s first season. Since then, the player has become an integral part of the club’s 4IAR success. Celtic fans will be keen to see the club strengthen but retain their stars in doing so.