In-demand Celtic striker Daizen Maeda has been told he is the perfect recruit to 'pep up' Everton next season, as the Japan international hints at a summer exit from the Scottish champions.
Maeda's Celtic Future in Doubt
Last summer, Maeda looked destined to depart Celtic on deadline day, even emptying his Lennoxtown locker. Then-boss Brendan Rodgers revealed after the summer window closed that the attacker had expressed a desire for a fresh challenge back in February 2025. However, a move collapsed on the final day of the window—with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg expected to be his destination—after Adam Idah left the club, leaving Celtic without a recognised striker.
Following the failed transfer, Maeda's form dropped drastically before he rediscovered his scoring touch, netting in six consecutive games, including in the title decider against Hearts and the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline.
World Cup Impact and Transfer Talk
After playing a key role for Japan at the World Cup, Maeda has hinted he will leave Celtic this summer, insisting he needs to play at a higher level. Former England international turned commentator Alan Smith believes a move to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium could be ideal.
'Well, Everton need pepping up, don't they?' Smith told BestBettingsites.co.uk. 'And, you know, he's a sharp player, got that experience up at Celtic, where he's been there a while. So probably a bit more know-how, hasn't he, than the likes of Barry and Beto. As a 10, he can play as a striker, he can play left, so he's got that versatility.'
Maeda Reflects on Late-Season Form
Following Japan's World Cup exit—a last-32 defeat to Brazil—Maeda has been promoting his autobiography in his homeland. He concedes that his scintillating form in the final weeks of Celtic's double-winning campaign remains a mystery to him.
'There wasn't any particular reason why I was able to perform well at the end of the season,' Maeda told the Japanese press. 'I just kept going even when things weren't going well. I think that in the very end, God saw my relentless efforts, just like I always had.'
