Journalist Michael Gannon has spoken about Daizen Maeda’s situation at Celtic, with some uncertainty still hanging over his future.
He reckons Celtic have been more focused on bringing players in, possibly losing sight of who might still leave. Paulo Bernardo, once seen as an important signing, has now dropped down the midfield pecking order.
Gannon thinks a move away for him is possible, but doesn’t see the club letting go of a major name like Maeda at this stage.
There’s talk of German interest in Maeda and Brentford have been mentioned for months. He’s currently in contract discussions, and Gannon points to the usual games that can come with that, agents pushing for better terms, a bit of noise in the media, and late-window pressure.
Right now, Celtic aren’t dealing with any serious bids, and Maeda remains part of Brendan Rodgers’ plans, unless a big offer comes in and changes everything.
He said: (Hotline Live), “If a £25m bid comes in, the goalposts change and it can change things altogether. From what I can gather, there aren’t concrete bids in for him at this point. I think there are contract talks and negotiations, when contract talks are ongoing there can be a few shenanigans.
“There’s agents trying to maximise what they get for their clients, and a bit of sabre-rattling here and there.
“So I think it might be at that stage. I know there’s been talk at Brentford for months, but nothing solid yet. I think there’s a bit of genuine interest from Germany, that’s what I’m told.
“Celtic have been so focused on who’s coming in, they’ve maybe taken their eye off who might go out. You might see someone like Paulo Bernardo going, now that he’s number six on the midfield list, but not one of the big hitters. I don’t think you can sell one of the crown jewels at this point.”
Celtic need to stay sharp in the weeks ahead, especially with Daizen Maeda’s name still floating around in the transfer talk. After already selling Kyogo, Nicolas Kuhn, and now Jota out long term, Maeda’s importance has only grown.
If proper interest builds from abroad, Rodgers would be left trying to replace one of his most relentless attackers in the final weeks of the window, a risky move that could unsettle the squad and stretch the recruitment plan thin.
Bernardo might still head for the exit too. He’s slipped to sixth choice in midfield and could look elsewhere for more minutes. That sort of departure is manageable, Maeda’s wouldn’t be. Letting the Japanese international go now would strip even more quality from a frontline that’s already seen major changes.
Gannon’s take doesn’t suggest panic, but there’s a hint Celtic might be focusing too much on arrivals and not enough on who might walk out the door.
With the clock ticking, decisions need to be sharp. Right now, Maeda stays, Bernardo’s future is up in the air, and the behind-the-scenes power plays are well underway.
