Celtic have been advised to hold off on any plans to sell with Daizen Maeda this summer, unless a truly exceptional bid is tabled. Former England international Paul Robinson has stressed the need to keep the 27-year-old forward at the heart of Brendan Rodgers’ squad for next season.
Robinson believes Celtic would be taking a major risk by letting Maeda move on at this stage, highlighting his consistency and goals as too valuable to lose without a substantial transfer fee. He insists any decision to sell should hinge on receiving a fee too good to ignore.
Maeda’s importance was clear to see last season. He played a central role in Celtic’s attack, ending the campaign with an impressive 33 goals and 12 assists across all competitions. His form hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Fenerbahçe, West Ham and newly promoted Leeds United both said to be keeping close tabs on him.
Despite growing interest from down south, the most common view among those close to the club is that Maeda remains a huge part of Rodgers’ plans. The upcoming Champions League qualifiers adds further weight to the argument that Celtic cannot afford to lose one of their most reliable performers without being compensated well
Robinson said: (Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast), “Celtic fans will not want Daizen Maeda to leave. You look at the impact he’s had on the team in terms of goals, it would have to be a massive bid for the forward to make Celtic even think about it.
“At 27 years old he’s still got a lot more to give, and with a European campaign next season, you want to build around him for the Champions League.
“Some of the signings that Rodgers wanted didn’t come in during January… from a Celtic supporters’ point of view, you don’t take a player like him off the manager.”
Celtic’s lack of movement in the January transfer window remains a sore point for many, with Rodgers understood to have missed out on several of his top targets. That reality only heightens the importance of keeping established players like Maeda.
The Hoops will be entering a tough start to next season, juggling domestic success with further European progression. Losing a player of Maeda’s output and quality would risk upsetting consistency, particularly in the final third where Maeda has become massive.
Maeda has spent four years at Celtic and built a strong relationship with Brendan Rodgers. He offers more than just goals, his energy, movement, and presence on the pitch have made him a key part of the team. Selling him wouldn’t just take a big fee, it would also mean finding the right replacement quickly, which isn’t easy to do in one transfer window.
Unless a huge offer comes in, it makes more sense for Celtic to keep Maeda as a key player for next season, both in Scotland and in Europe.
