Celtic appear to be edging closer to the signing of Daizen Maeda.
What’s the talk?
That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that the Yokohama F. Marinos centre-forward is rumoured to be in London in order to complete a medical ahead of a switch to Celtic in the January transfer window, with both Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi expected to follow on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old striker has been heavily linked with a move to Parkhead for a number of months now, and, if the latest reports are to be believed, Ange Postecoglou’s swoop for the Japan international looks as if it is now at the final stages.
Postecoglou will be ecstatic
Almost all of Postecoglou’s current options in attack having been sidelined due to injury at one point or another this season – something which has often left the 56-year-old manager extremely short up top.
That means the news that a deal to sign Maeda – who Kevin Muscat dubbed a “dream” to manage – now being extremely close to being completed is sure to have left the Greek-Australian coach ecstatic.
Indeed, ahead of the Bhoys’ trip to St. Johnstone on Sunday, Postecoglou was unable to select left-winger Mikey Johnston, attacking midfielder David Turnbull, centre-forward Giorgos Giakoumakis, attacking midfielder Ewan Henderson, centre-forward Albian Ajeti and right-winger James Forrest as a result of injury.
Meanwhile, centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi also picked up a knock and was brought off just 15 minutes into the game – leaving the Hoops manager no choice but to field right-winger Liel Abada and 18-year-old B team striker Joey Dawson as his front two.
As such, it is abundantly clear that Celtic are in need of attacking reinforcements if they are to maintain their title charge over the second half of the current campaign, meaning that Maeda’s apparently impending arrival is extremely good news for everyone involved with the club.
In other news: Ange can finally axe £41k-p/w Celtic deadwood with January swoop that “should happen”