Daizen Maeda has surged ahead as the clear frontrunner for Celtic’s Player of the Year, according to Andy Halliday.

The Motherwell midfielder believes the Japanese forward has overtaken Nicolas Kuhn in the race for individual honours, thanks to his incredible form since the turn of the year.

Before Christmas, Kuhn was arguably Celtic’s standout performer, having improved his end product with goals and assists while also delivering big moments in the Champions League and Glasgow Derbies. He’s bagged 13 goals and 8 assists, while Daizen hit his 26th goal of the season at the weekend.

But Maeda, who had been steadily contributing, has now hit another gear.

Since January, Maeda has been unstoppable, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists in February alone. His versatility has been key, excelling both through the middle and on the wing while maintaining his relentless energy. With eight 90-minute performances in his last nine games, he has become an undroppable figure for Brendan Rodgers.

Halliday, speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, acknowledged Kuhn’s early-season form but believes Maeda has now taken the crown.

“It’s difficult [for Yang to get minutes] because he is up against a guy in Nicolas Kuhn, who was the early favourite and front-runner for Player of the Year. On the other side of him, you have got Jota, who has just come into the building, and Maeda, who is now the clear favourite for Player of the Year towards the end of the season.”

With the way he’s playing, Maeda could be in for a clean sweep when the end-of-season awards roll around. If he keeps this up, it won’t just be Celtic fans praising him—he’ll be getting recognition from across Scottish football.