Daizen Maeda, born in Japan on 20 October 1997, currently aged 27, is a formidable forward who primarily takes to the field as a left winger for Celtic FC. Standing at a sturdy 1.73m (5ft 8in) and weighing in at 68kg (10st 9lb), Maeda also bears the underappreciated responsibility of the number 38 jersey. His skills with the football have seen him earning the honour of representing his native Japan at national level.
Maeda's current market value is thought to be around £12.8m according to Transfermarkt, and his contract with Celtic is due to expire on 31 May 2027, which equates to 1 year and 10 months remaining.
Maeda first joined Matsumoto Yamaga in the Japan Lower Leagues in January 2016. During the 2016 season, he showcased potential with nine appearances in league matches. His depedability was put to the litmus test in the 2019 season as he responded positively with 18 first team appearances and netting two goals in league matches. His time at Matsumoto Yamaga was only temporarily disrupted by a loan spell at Mito Hollyhock in the J2 League in 2017. There, again Maeda made himself noticed with 20 first team appearances and eight significant goals in league matches before returning to Matsumoto Yamaga in 2018.
After another impressive spell with Matsumoto Yamaga, where he made 18 first team appearances and two goals, Maeda transferred to Marítimo in the Liga Portugal 2 in Portugal in July 2019. With 23 first team appearances and three goals in league matches, Maeda proved he was not afraid of the bigger European stage. His performance saw him transferred to Yokohama F. Marinos in the J1 League in Japan in August 2020. He made 59 first team appearances there and scored a remarkable 26 goals in league matches, which eventually piqued Celtic's interest.
Maeda transferred from Yokohama F. Marinos to Celtic in January 2022 on loan, and later permanently in July 2022 for a reasonable fee of about £1.4m. Maeda quickly made himself an invaluable asset for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. Across five seasons, he made 113 first team appearances and fired 36 goals into the back of nets. With two appearances so far in the current 2025-2026 season, Maeda shows no signs of slowing down.
Maeda is also a veteran competitor in the Champions League, making four starts for Celtic in the 2023 - 2024 season and nine in the 2024 - 2025 season, scoring a total of 4 goals. He also showcased his talent in the Scottish Cup 2024 - 2025, scorching 7 goals across 5 starts. Moreover, he did his nation proud by scoring a goal through his 7 appearances in World Cup Qualifiers Asia from 2024 to 2026.