Daizen Maeda, born in Osaka on 20 October 1997 (age 28), is a Japan international and Celtic’s number 38, used primarily from the left. His early career was shaped by loan football in Japan, where he had to turn pace and industry into something more reliable than raw running.
That development came through clearly at Yokohama F. Marinos. His 2021 league season there – 23 goals in 36 appearances – remains the most productive of his career and was the form that took him to Celtic in January 2022.
At Celtic, Maeda has become one of those players whose value is not always tidy but is rarely in doubt. He presses, stretches games, and gives the side a directness that opponents do not particularly enjoy. During his time in Glasgow he has won three Premiership titles, two League Cups and two Scottish Cups, as well as finishing runner-up once in the Scottish Cup.
He remains a regular first-team presence in 2025-26. In the league, he has made 36 appearances and scored 14 goals, while also contributing in the Scottish Cup, Champions League qualifiers and Europa League. Across Celtic competitions this season, he has made 50 appearances and scored 16 goals. He has also continued to feature for Japan, with seven Asian World Cup qualifying appearances and one goal.
His current market value is around £11m, according to Transfermarkt. From Osaka to Yokohama and then Celtic, his career has been built on movement, output and persistence, and he remains an important part of the current side.
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