Celtic boss plans Daizen Maeda talks after summer transfer turmoil

During his time with the Japan national team over the international break, the Celtic star told local media in his homeland he wanted to leave the club in the summer amid overseas interest, but the Hoops hierarchy refused to sanction a move because they did not have a replacement lined up.

Maeda is expected to return to Lennoxtown today, with the Scottish Sun claiming Rodgers wants a conversation with him to gauge his mindset before Sunday’s Premiership meeting with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

The 27-year-old still has two years remaining on his contract and is determined to continue giving his all for the club, though his performances this season have fallen short of the brilliance that earned him the Premiership’s Player of the Year accolades last season.

Throughout the summer transfer window, Maeda was linked with moves to Brentford, Fenerbahce and an unnamed Bundesliga club. With the clock ticking down on his contract, it would not be surprising to see the Japanese forward depart Celtic in January.

Revealing that he wanted to leave Celtic after three trophy-laden years, Maeda said: “I had been talking to Celtic until the last day, but it didn’t work out. I had received an offer and I had been telling the club I wanted to take the next step.”

“But Celtic hadn’t been able to make any good reinforcements, so they couldn’t let me leave. There were some things that I had agreed to personally, so I wanted to take on the challenge.”

“I’d been talking to the club since before the end of the previous season. I always told them I wanted to take the next step — but we had league games and lost in the Champions League qualifiers, so it was difficult. I’ve decided to stay. I want to work hard.”

Brendan Rodgers may well be asked about this matter at today’s media conference at Lennoxtown. Hopefully we’ll get clarity on the club’s position regarding Daizen who may be better off staying at Celtic for the season then using the World Cup stage to get the best move possible.

Celtic could sweeten that deal by giving him an improved contract and a commitment that he can leave in the summer if that is his wish. If he is however unsettled and wants to leave in January then the club should respect his wishes, give him that assurance and ask him to give 100% while in a Celtic jersey until the end of the year.

Celtic’s point of difference in developing then selling on players such as Matt O’Riley and Nicolas Kuhn will be dented by this summer when players like Maeda, Yang and even Adam Idah were all caught up in the shambles of a window from the highly paid Celtic suits.

More on the next page from Conor Spence…