Daizen Maeda: Celtic agree deal with €2m option for 22-goal forward

Daizen Maeda has reportedly agreed a loan switch to Celtic. (Photo by Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images)

The 24-year-old has been a key target for Parkhead boss Ange Postecoglou who managed him at Yokohama F. Marinos.

Maeda, twice capped by Japan, is off the back of a 22-goal season for the team in the J-League.

A loan move until the end of the season has been agreed, according to reports in Japan, with an option to make the deal permanent for €2million in the summer.

The player will add more versatility to Postecoglou’s attack, capable of playing wide or through the middle.

Known for his lightning pace, Maeda featured heavily in the top 10 for sprints per game in the J-League this past season. Impressively he was only flagged offside ten times across the campaign, while recording the most touches in the opposition box and second most shots.

January is going to be a key month for Celtic with Postecoglou having earmarked what he wanted to do in the transfer window early with new CEO Michael Nicholson earning praise for his work.

“We’ve been working really hard on this window for quite a while," Postecoglou said. “We knew it would be important and January is not an easy one.

"It’s not one where you really want to do too much because there is sometimes a desperation around it in terms of the business.

“Michael has taken the lead and he’s working awfully hard in the background to make sure we get what we need done.”

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