Amid Daizen Maeda exit stories, Celtic stay seems most likely

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The Celtic Star

·7 June 2025

Amid Daizen Maeda exit stories, Celtic stay seems most likely

There are a few rumours regarding Celtic exits floating around at the moment…

Maik Nawrocki in the Celtic celebrations. Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

On the Celtic Star we’ve already covered Maik Nawrock – Polish outlet reports on Maik Nawrocki’s Celtic Exit and Nikolas Kuhn – Premier League side want Nicolas Kühn to replace departing £55m star but there is also apparently interest in Daizen Maeda.

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Nicolas Kuhn celebrates. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

There are a few reports doing the rounds stating Fenerbahce are interested in getting Daizen in the door this summer, but also a few stories whereby Jose Mourinho’s club have taken a Celtic board lowball approach to their opening bid, with some stating that’s as little as £8.4m.

Jose Mourinho of Fenerbahce looks on during the Turkish Super League match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce at Rams Park Stadium on February 23, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

I’m not sure on the veracity of those reports as the source for the story seems to have come from Turkish media outlet Sözcü Maeda instead of Maximin in F.Garden – Spokesperson who have stated:

‘The Japanese footballer, who has scored 33 goals for the Scottish team this season and is on Fenerbahce’s radar, is burning hands.

Daizen Maeda, Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito of Japan celebrate qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the 2-0 victory after the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier Group C match between Japan and Bahrain at Saitama Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Kenta Harada/Getty Images)

Celtic are demanding at least £25m for Maeda. Tottenham are also in play, but the yellow-and-navy blues are very determined to complete this transfer.

Fenerbahce is trying to fill the void of Allan Saint-Maximin, who did not exercise his option to buy, with Scottish champion Celtic star Daizen Maeda.

Daizen Maeda with his Multiple awards from the Celtic POTY Awards including Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year. Photo Celtic FC

The 27-year-old has grabbed all the attention with his 33 goals this season. He made history as Celtic’s top scorer since the 1977-78 season, while also receiving Scotland’s Player of the Year award.

THE SCOTS EXAGGERATE THE FIGURE. However, this transfer could cost F.Bahçe a lot of money. Because the directors of the Scottish club started negotiations with the yellow-navy blue club at €25 million.

Tottenham’s suitor for the Japanese left winger has made it a little more difficult for F.Bahce. However, the yellow-navy blue management will play all their trump cards in bringing Daizen Maeda to the F.Garden.’

Daizen Maeda poses with his Scottish Premiership winners medal after the season s final league match against St. Mirren on May 17, 2025. Photo IMAGO

Thoughts on this Turkish transfer story on Daizen Maeda

I’m certainly not surprised there is interest in Daizen Maeda but I’m also not sure there is much weight behind the low-ball bid narrative being put out there now, nor the fee Celtic are said to be willing to start their negotiations at – reported as 21m euros.

Instead, the Turkish article, with some wonderful turns of phrase – love the ‘burning hands’ take, that’s brilliant – seems to indicate Celtic would expect a similar fee the club has historically sold their top talent for -such as Matt O’Riley, Jota and Kieran Tierney who all went for £25m or above with add-ons for over the last few seasons.

Daizen himself certainly seems happy at Celtic at the moment and some of the noises from the club and the player hint more towards the player signing a new contract at Celtic.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic battles for possession with Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munich during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Maeda has two years left on his contract, and we all know the Celtic board will sell at any juncture, as we saw with the January sale of Kyogo, just prior to a Champions League knockout game against Bayern Munich, but the fee would have to match the club’s valuation, although Kyogo wanted away so got his way and may now want to come back!

I’m also not sure we need to worry about Fenerbahce either. If Celtic are looking for around the £25m mark, the Turkish side’s record transfer to date is £16.4m for Youssef En-Nesyri in July last year and prior to that was £12.6m for Cengiz Unde in August 2023, so to sign Maeda it would take a record outlay.

Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou – who was yesterday sacked by Tottenham CEO Daniel Levy – may be another matter indeed, but for now, there remains much uncertainty around in North London after the former Celtic manager’s sacking, which may give Celtic enough time to get Daizen tied down to that new deal long before the new boss takes a look at the shopping list Ange had presumably drawn up.

Daizen might not fancy going to Spurs anyway after they sacked Ange Postecoglou so out of the three options that have been mentioned, signing the new deal with Celtic seems the most likely.

Niall J