Born on the 20th of October, 1997 Daizen Maeda is a forward by trade, primarily operating as a left winger for the Scottish giants Celtic. At a stature of 5ft, 8in (1.73m) and weighing in at 10st 9lb (68kg) he's become notorious in the green number 38 jersey. A Japanese native, Maeda has also represented his national team on the international competitive stage.
His current market value is thought to be in the region of £10 million, as per analysis performed by Transfermarkt, a sports website specialising in the assessment of player worth. [Transfermarkt]
Initially beginning his professional football career in January 2016 with Matsumoto Yamaga, a club situated in the lower leagues of Japan, Maeda made a reasonable impact. With nine appearances in his debut season and consistent performances in the 2019 season, Maeda secured 18 appearances and scored two goals. In a brief period, he was loaned out to Mito Hollyhock of the J2 League in January 2017, contributing eight goals over 20 games.
In an interesting move, Maeda was loaned to Marítimo in Portugal competing in the Liga Portugal 2 in July 2019. Later, in August 2020, Maeda returned to Japan, specifically, he transferred to Yokohama F. Marinos in the Japanese J1 League. His performances were commendable, racking up significant goals over the seasons, most notably scoring 23 goals in 36 appearances in the 2021 season.
January 2022 marked a new chapter in Maeda's career, as he was loaned to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. His time in Celtic was rather fruitful, he crafted a crucial role within the squad, with consistent performances in his seasons and amassing a good number of goals. As such, a permanent move was formalised in July 2022, the fee was around £1.4 million.
Over the course of his Celtic tenure, Maeda accumulated a considerable number of goals and demonstrated consistent form. His performances in 2024 - 2025 were particularly potent, securing 16 goals in 34 first team appearances. The season ongoing, 2025 - 2026, is shaping up nicely with Maeda already having 30 appearances and seven goals to his name.
His career at Celtic has not been limited to league appearances. Maeda has been instrumental in various competitions such as the League Cup, Scottish Cup, and internationally playing in the World Cup Qualifiers for Japan. For Celtic, he eagerly participated in the Champions League Qualifiers and Europa League, proving his worth as a valuable team asset.
