DAIZEN MAEDA is on the brink of sealing his £10million move to Ipswich Town.
And former Celtic goal hero Chris Sutton admits the transfer is “baffling” and “utterly incredible”.
Maeda soared to talismanic status among the Hoops fans in the run-in to a turbulent season with 10 crucial strikes in seven games as the champions sealed a league and Cup double, an achievement that looked unlikely for most of the campaign.
The jet-paced Japanese World Cup striker stood up to be counted when the team needed him most.
It had been a similar situation the previous term after Kyogo Furuhashi had been sold to Rennes for £10million in January 2025.
THE LAST SALUTE…Daizen Maeda clutches his newly-won Scottish Cup medal after scoring the opening goal in the 3-1 victory over Dunfermline at Hampden on May 23.
Adam Idah had been bought for £9.5million from Norwich City following his impressive short-term loan which included a Scottish Cup winner against Philippe Clement’s Ibrox side.
However, the Republic of Ireland attack-leader failed to deliver and was eventually sold to Swansea City for a cut-price £6million last summer.
Meada had taken over the striking duties and claimed a remarkable 33 goals to lead Celtic to a fourth successive title and a League Cup, but hopes of a world record ninth treble were ruined by Aberdeen who won the Scottish Cup on penalty-kicks.
It was the pacy frontman who lifted multiple Player of the Year awards to attract a £14million bid from Wolfsburg, but the Hoops hierarchy knocked back the offer just before it got the go-ahead.
Now Maeda is about to realise his ambition of a move to the English top flight at the newly-promoted East Anglian outfit.
And it’s a switch that has left Sutton mystified.
AIR WE GO…Daizen Maeda acrobatically leaps to send an overhead-kick soaring into the Ibrox net to seal Celtic’s 3-1 triumph at Parkhead on May 10.
The one-time England international admitted: “A lot of Celtic’s transfer market behaviour has been baffling.
“But I find the decision to cash in now on Daizen Maeda utterly incredible.
“The fee of £8million – rising to £10million – is buttons for starters. He’s worth way more than that to Celtic.
“The real puzzle is why they let him go now.
“Celtic might argue they already have his replacement in Camilo Duran, but Maeda does the job of more than one role, so that argument doesn’t wash.”
Sutton, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “I know Celtic were resigned to him leaving, but unless the offer was totally ridiculous, they should have stood firm and said he wasn’t leaving until AFTER the qualifier.
“Ten million pounds at that point, you’d think fair enough – if he’d helped deliver a place in the group stages.
“That’s what happened in the past with the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Moussa Dembele.
“But it just seems that Celtic are quick to do business with sales – but the complete opposite when it comes to signings.”
The former Norwich City forward added: “I’m also a bit confused over Maeda’s choice of club.
“No offence to Ipswich Town fans – all three of them – but having said for years he wanted to play in the Premier League, the chances are he’ll be back in the Championship after a season.
“It just looked like he jumped at the first English club that came in – and Celtic took the first bid.”
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