Celtic forward Daizen Maeda has made a fresh plea to leave the club this summer, declaring that he will never have a better opportunity to secure a move to the English Premier League. The Japan international, who is entering the final year of his contract at Parkhead, has been open about his desire to test himself in England's top flight.
Maeda's Premier League Ambition
Speaking on the Japanese YouTube channel PIVOT, Maeda said: "I've always wanted to play in the Premier League ever since I went to Celtic, so I think this year might be my chance. My strongest desire is to play in the Premier League for at least a year." He added that he is not particular about which club he joins, stating: "For me, it's simply that I want to play in the Premier League, and I don't care which team it is."
The 28-year-old scored one goal in three appearances for Japan at the World Cup and has been linked with several Premier League sides, including Everton and Brentford. His public transfer demands have drawn criticism from pundits, with Michael Gannon of Record Sport expressing disapproval on the latest Celtic podcast.
Resigned to Losing Their Star
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has reportedly admitted that the club is now resigned to losing Maeda, who has spent four and a half years at Parkhead. The speedster has one year remaining on his contract with the Scottish Premiership champions, and his decision to go public about his intentions has not gone down well within the club.
Maeda's desire to leave comes after a failed deadline-day move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg 11 months ago. He admitted that the disappointment took time to overcome: "Last year, I scored around 33 goals for Celtic, and I thought that was definitely the right time to transfer, but I couldn't and ended up staying at Celtic for another year. I was a bit down about it at the time."
Recovering from Setback
Despite the setback, Maeda regained his focus to help Celtic clinch a league and Scottish Cup double. He reflected: "It was quite difficult, but I was in a situation where I had to do it, so I thought that in order to move on to the next step, I had to change my mindset and perform well. It took time, but I think I was able to pick up my form in the end."
The former Yokohama Marinos frontman remains determined to secure a Premier League move this summer, emphasizing his confidence in his abilities: "I think it's the best league, and I'm confident I can do it there, so that's why I want to take on the challenge." He also highlighted his Japanese heritage as a strength: "There are certain strengths to being Japanese, and I believe that no matter which team I join, there will always be many who want me."
Maeda acknowledged that his future depends on negotiations between Celtic and potential suitors: "It's really not decided yet. It's about negotiations between Celtic and the other party. Until that's finalized, I still have one year left on my contract with Celtic."
