Brendan Rodgers has spoken about Daizen Maeda’s future at Celtic, with the forward now into the final two years of his current deal.
Talks over a new contract began after the Scottish Cup final, but no agreement has been reached. The club are now at a point where they must either extend his stay or consider selling him before the window shuts. Rodgers offered his view on the situation at his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.
The Irishman confirmed that contract talks are happening but said there’s been no real movement so far. Maeda’s name has popped up in transfer talk, largely due to his strong form and the time left on his deal. Since arriving in Glasgow, the Japan international has improved steadily, and finished last season as one of Celtic’s most reliable performers.
Rodgers spoke highly of Maeda’s work-rate and attitude, saying the winger gives everything he’s got when he’s on the park. Even though he looked a bit tired near the end of the season, his commitment never dipped.
It’s now a key decision for Celtic. They can try to tie Maeda down with an improved deal or cash in while his stock remains high. Rodgers sounds hopeful that the player will stay put, but until a new deal is signed, there’s still a chance he could move on. The next few weeks will be telling.
He said: (Celtic FC YouTube), “He’s obviously got a couple of years. There have been discussions and that going on in the background, but I don’t have any sort of updates on it.
“You know, he’s been here four years, he’s progressed every year he’s been here and finished off a brilliant season for him.
“I think what you always get with Daizen is 100%. He’s not quite up to full speed yet, but no, I don’t know of any developments on there.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fairly confident of that (he’ll be here at the end of the window), yeah. As could be.”
The main point from Rodgers’ comments is that talks over Daizen Maeda’s future are happening but haven’t led to any decisions yet.
The Irishman said discussions are ongoing, but nothing has been agreed or announced. That puts Celtic in a position where they’ll need to either offer him a new deal or consider any serious bids that come in.
Maeda has steadily improved during his time at the club and has become one of the most hard-working players in the squad. Across five seasons, he’s grown in influence and delivered some of his best performances in the last campaign. Rodgers highlighted that consistency and effort as a reason why an agreement might still be reached.
Rodgers also hinted Maeda may not be fully sharp just now, possibly feeling the effects of a long season. That could affect how Celtic approach any offer or how they view the timing of a new deal. If they do sell, they’ll want a strong return, but they may prefer to keep a player who brings so much to the side.
Rodgers’ belief that Maeda “will be here at the end of the window” shows he’s hopeful there won’t be any big changes. We should see movement on this soon, one way or another. Whether it’s a new contract or a transfer, it will be a major decision in shaping the squad for the new campaign.
