Daizen Maeda has once more underlined his ambition to check himself within the English Premier League, revealing he would welcome the chance no matter which membership comes calling.
nineteenth April 2026; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish Cup Soccer, Celtic versus St Mirren; Daizen Maeda of Celtic celebrates after he scores within the 2nd minute after a problem on Ryan Mullen of St Mirren
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The Celtic ahead’s future has develop into a serious speaking level after supervisor Martin O’Neill admitted in the course of the membership’s pre-season camp in that he accepts the Japan worldwide may depart earlier than the switch window closes, though he would like him to stay for the ultimate yr of his contract.
Regardless of that, Maeda has made it clear his precedence is securing a transfer to . Having beforehand spoken of his Premier League aspirations, the 28-year-old has now bolstered that stance in an interview with Japanese YouTube channel PIVOT.
“I’ve all the time needed to play within the Premier League ever since I went to Celtic, so I believe this yr is likely to be my probability.
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“My strongest want is to play within the Premier League for no less than a yr. I haven’t actually thought of what comes after that.”
Explaining why England stays his most popular vacation spot, Maeda believes he has the attributes to succeed on the highest degree.
“I believe it’s the perfect league, and I’m assured I can do it there, in order that’s why I need to tackle the problem.
“There are specific strengths to being Japanese, and I consider that irrespective of which group I be part of, there’ll all the time be many who need me. I need to showcase these strengths of being Japanese.
“It’s actually not determined but. It’s about negotiations between Celtic and the opposite celebration… Till that’s finalised, I nonetheless have one yr left on my contract with Celtic.
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“For me, it’s merely that I need to play within the Premier League, and I don’t care which group it’s, I simply need to play right here. So, irrespective of which group it’s, what I’ve to do received’t change. I believe that’s the one factor that issues in the case of combating.”
Maeda additionally mirrored on final summer season’s failed transfer to , admitting the collapse of the switch initially affected him earlier than he rediscovered his kind throughout a marketing campaign through which he performed a key position in Celtic’s home double.
“Final yr, I scored round 33 objectives for Celtic, and I assumed that was undoubtedly the proper time to switch, however I couldn’t and ended up staying at Celtic for an additional yr.
“I used to be a bit down about it on the time, however ultimately, we had been capable of win the league title and the cup.
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“It was fairly troublesome, however I used to be in a scenario the place I needed to do it, so I assumed that so as to transfer on to the subsequent step, I needed to change my mindset and carry out nicely, in any other case I wouldn’t have the ability to play within the Premier League or wherever like that.
“It took time, however I believe I used to be capable of decide up my kind ultimately.
“I don’t know which group I’ll be on subsequent season, however I believe I’ll simply must do my greatest with the group I’m with now.”