DAIZEN MAEDA is close to realising his dream of playing in the English top flight as Ipswich Town stepped up their ambitious bid for the Japanese ace.
The 28-year-old jet-paced winger soared up the newly-promoted club’s wish list with his two goals and overall displays for his nation in the World Cup Finals.
Maeda, who joined the Hoops in January 2022 in a £1million switch from Yokohama F Marinos, has been preparing to leave the champions since the end of the double-winning campaign.
THE LAST HURRAH…Daizen Maeda lobs in the opener in the 3-1 win over Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup showpiece at Hampden on May 23, his final goal for Celtic.
Reluctantly, the Hoops will sell the popular frontman who had scored 33 goals the previous season following his compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi’s £10million move to Rennes.
Martin O’Neill will attempt to fill Maeda’s void as the champions step up their interest in Egypt World Cup star Haissem Hassan as a direct replacement, according to a report in the Scottish Sun.
Ange Postecoglou’s signing, who arrived at the same time as Reo Hatate, won five Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups in his four-and-a-half years at Parkhead.
Celtic rejected a £14million offer from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg for the forward a year ago and will expect a bid of around that region from the big-spending Portman Road club who have already splashed £26.6million to sign Brazilian striker Emersonn from French side Toulouse.
Maeda has never made a secret of his desire to play in the Premier League and, speaking last week, said: “I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League ever since I went to Celtic, so I think this year might be my chance.
“I think it’s the best league, and I’m confident I can do it there, so that’s why I want to take on the challenge.”
FLAG HAPPY…Daizen Maeda clips in the second goal in Celtic’s title-clinching 3-1 victory over Hearts at Parkhead on May 16.
The Hoops have targeted Real Oviedo wideman Hassan, who has one year left on his club contract, as a replacement.
There have also been reports the champions have renewed their interest in Bodo/Glimt’s Danish frontman Kasper Hogh who was linked in a £7million move in January.
Celtic’s only purchase so far this summer has been Colombian hitman Camilo Duran, a £5.5million arrival from Qarabag, who has scored in his two appearances, against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal last week and Middlesbrough at Parkhead on Saturday.
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