Daizen Maeda, born in Japan on 20 October 1997, is a forward, usually operating on the left wing, currently plying his trade in the Scottish Premiership for Celtic. Standing at 5ft 8in (1.73m) and weighing in at 10st 9lb (68kg), Maeda dons the number 38 jersey, and has notched up a commendable slew of appearances for the Japan national team.
According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is around £11.5m.
Prior to Celtic, Maeda's football journey began in January 2016, where he first joined Matsumoto Yamaga, performing in the Japanese lower leagues. In his debut season, he made nine first-team appearances, a number which grew to 18 by the 2019 season during which he also scored two goals.
January 2017 saw Maeda briefly transferred to Mito Hollyhock, a team in the J2 League in Japan on loan. During his stint there, Maeda made 20 first team appearances and netted eight goals. At the conclusion of his loan in January 2018, Maeda returned to Matsumoto Yamaga, replicating his previous stint of nine appearances in his debut season and two goals from 18 appearances in the 2019 season.
July 2019 marked another notable move in Maeda's career, moving on loan to Marítimo in Liga Portugal 2, earning 23 first team appearances and scoring three goals. In August 2020, he transferred from Matsumoto Yamaga to Yokohama F. Marinos in the J1 League in Japan for an undisclosed fee. Maeda boasted a superb tally of 23 goals in 36 appearances in the 2021 season, following a steady debut season of three goals in 23 appearances in 2020.
Maeda's transition to Celtic Football Club took place in January 2022, an arrival that was cemented with a transfer fee of approximately £1.4m in July 2022. Within the green and white stripes, Maeda quickly proved his value, scoring six goals in 16 appearances in his inaugural season. This commendable momentum extended into the following seasons, with goal tallies of eight, six, and a remarkable 16 in the 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025 seasons respectively. In the current 2025 - 2026 season, Maeda has made 26 first team appearances and has netted the ball seven times.
Moreover, in addition to his league performances, Maeda has also had appearances in the League Cup 2025 - 2026 for Celtic, scoring once in three starts and an appearance as a substitute. Furthermore, he represented Japan in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024 - 2026, striking home a goal in seven appearances. Further European football campaign experience includes his participation in both the Champions League Qualifiers 2025 - 2026, with two starts for Celtic as well as the Europa League 2025 - 2026, with an additional eight starts and one appearance as a substitute.
Overall, Daizen Maeda's journey in football has been both varied and fruitful, with his significant contributions to Celtic marking him as a figure of formidable potency in the beautiful game.
