Daizen Maeda, born in Osaka on 20 October 1997 (age 28), is a Japan international winger and a current Celtic first-team player. He wears number 38 and is primarily used from the left, though his value has rarely been confined to a neat positional label.
His route to Celtic was not especially ornamental. Early loan football gave him senior grounding before his career sharpened properly at Yokohama F. Marinos. The 2021 league season was the clear breakthrough: 23 goals in 36 appearances, the sort of return that tends to remove any lingering doubt about whether the pace and work had enough end product attached.
Celtic brought him in from Yokohama F. Marinos in January 2022, and he quickly became a useful fit rather than a decorative addition. His game has always been direct, relentless and occasionally untidy, but Celtic have had plenty from him: pressure, running, goals, and a willingness to keep doing the unglamorous work long after others have stopped pretending.
He has been part of a successful Celtic spell, winning three Premiership titles, two League Cups and two Scottish Cups. That matters. Maeda has not just been around the trophies; he has been a regular contributor in a side that has asked plenty from its wide players, both with and without the ball.
In 2025–26 he remains a regular presence, with 35 league appearances and 13 league goals, plus further involvement in the League Cup, Scottish Cup, Champions League qualifying and Europa League. Across Celtic’s competitions this season he has made 52 appearances and scored 15 goals. His form has been solid overall, and his recent outings have been above his season level, which is a fair reflection of a player still carrying weight in the side.
He has also continued with Japan, making seven appearances in Asian World Cup qualifying this season and scoring once. His market value is around £10m, according to Transfermarkt.
Maeda’s career has moved from hard-earned development minutes to a productive spell in Japan and then a substantial role at Celtic. He remains an important first-team player, not always polished, but rarely passive and still central enough to be judged on more than effort alone.
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