Celtic striker Daizen Maeda has moved a step nearer to the Parkhead exit by confirming his want to play within the Premier League.
The Japan worldwide is getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract and supervisor Martin O’Neill has admitted that the participant may go away this summer time.
Brentford are among the many golf equipment linked with Maeda, who is perhaps joined in England’s prime flight by Arne Engels, in accordance with studies in Belgium.
As Celtic brace themselves for curiosity of their prime stars, 28-year-old Maeda made no secret of his ambition to play south of the Border sooner fairly than later.
‘Since I went to Celtic, I got interested within the Premier League,’ he mentioned to the Japanese YouTube present Pivot. ‘I began watching a number of Premier League video games. I’ve a robust want to play within the Premier League.
‘I watch all of the video games. After I was in Japan, I didn’t watch soccer in any respect. However after I went overseas, I used to be in a position to watch it in actual time. So I naturally watched the Premier League.’
Celtic striker Daizen Maeda says his sights are set on enjoying within the English Premier League
Midfielder Arne Engels is reported to be the topic of one other provide by Nottingham Forest
Some translations of the present instructed that Maeda had described this 12 months as his greatest probability to maneuver south and that he didn’t care which membership he went to.
Requested to elaborate on his plans, the participant who was essential to Celtic’s league-and-cup double final season added: ‘I feel the upper you go, the higher you get.’
Maeda scored 33 objectives for Celtic within the 2024-25 marketing campaign and netted 9 in his ultimate seven matches of final season. He additionally scored for Japan in opposition to Sweden within the World Cup.
Celtic rejected a bid for him by Wolfsburg final August, however they now have extra power up entrance, having final week purchased a confirmed striker in Colombian Camilo Duran from Qarabag.
O’Neill instructed reporters on the weekend that there was a ‘resignation’ across the prospect of Maeda leaving however he hoped the versatile attacker would see out the ultimate 12 months of his deal.
The Celtic boss, whose group will play Sporting Lisbon this night as a part of a pre-season camp in Portugal, additionally hinted that Engels and Swedish midfielder Benjamin Nygren might be departing the membership.
Nottingham Forest had three bids for Engels rejected throughout the winter switch window. Celtic booted out presents price £14 million and £17m, in addition to a bundle price as much as £25m shortly earlier than the deadline.
However the Midlands membership, who appointed Oliver Glasner as their new head coach final week, have retained an curiosity in Engels and are eager to be on the forefront of any bidding warfare.
Based on Belgian publication Voetbal Krant, the membership are ‘pushing arduous’ to signal the 22-year-old midfielder and have submitted a ‘first formal provide’.
All of it provides as much as a summer time of serious change for Celtic, with Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate wanting set to depart after falling out of favour.
O’Neill will maintain talks with Callum McGregor after the captain switched brokers within the wake of feedback revamped the membership’s ‘ambition’.
They’re additionally ready to seek out out whether or not Kelechi Iheanacho will keep at Parkhead.
The striker who arrived at Celtic final September on a one-year contract is now in talks with the membership a few new two-year deal.
‘There’s a proposal there to him at this minute,’ mentioned O’Neill. ‘So we’ll see how that develops.’
In the meantime, O’Neill has ‘dismissed’ from his ideas any prospect of Jota returning to the group within the early a part of the season.
Celtic are hoping that striker Kelechi Iheanacho will settle for their provide of a two-year contract
The Portuguese winger has been out of motion since April final 12 months when he suffered an ACL harm in opposition to Dundee United at Tannadice.
He has been rehabilitating, principally in Lisbon, since then and can return to Lennoxtown forward of the brand new season, however he won’t be near match health till October.
O’Neill mentioned there was no level in contemplating Jota’s first-team potential within the brief time period. ‘Till he is actually almost match to play, I am sorry, you simply should dismiss him in that sense.
‘I am unable to hold considering each single day ‘when is he going to be enjoying.’ I’ve already dismissed him till Halloween maybe.
‘However who is aware of how folks come again.
‘I’m sorry, it’s fairly merciless however you say you simply have to go away it, he is not concerned. I am unable to fear about one thing that is perhaps three months down the road.’
