Victor Gyökeres backs Alexander Isak amidst transfer chaos (Credits: Imago Images)
Celtic winger Daizen Maeda has made no secret of his desire to leave Celtic Park this summer after four and a half years with the Scottish club.
The 28-year-old’s ambitions are firmly set on securing a high-profile move to the Premier League once the World Cup concludes.
Before any transfer business gets underway, Maeda is fully focused on representing Japan on the biggest stage in international football.
Japan face the Netherlands in their Group F opener on Sunday, and Maeda is relishing the prospect of going head-to-head with Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries.
If Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu deploys Maeda on the left, the Celtic forward could come directly up against Dumfries, who is set to line up at right-wing back for the Dutch.
Dumfries is expected to complete a £17 million switch to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu this summer, making the Group F clash an even more intriguing contest.
Speaking to Japanese media, Maeda outlined his tactical approach, saying: “If I go into the aerial duel in a normal way, I won’t win. So I will try out various tactics. I can try to get in front of him or let another player take the aerial duel while I cut inside.”
Maeda also expressed his belief that pace would be his greatest weapon against the Dutch defender, adding: “I don’t know if I will play as a wingback or not, that is up to Hajime Moriyasu. But there are many players who can play as a shadow striker and have goal scoring ability, so I hope I can play in that role. I think I can stop him (Dumfries) with my speed.”
Maeda previously represented Japan at the World Cup finals in Qatar, giving him valuable experience of the tournament’s pressure and atmosphere.
Elsewhere, Celtic’s pursuit of Frosinone forward Fares Ghedjemis continues to generate uncertainty ahead of what promises to be a busy summer transfer window.
The Parkhead club reportedly missed out on signing Ghedjemis in January after they were unwilling to meet Frosinone’s £6.8 million asking price for the Serie B forward.
Frosinone have since secured promotion back to Italian football’s top tier, potentially adding further complications to any future transfer negotiations.
Ghedjemis, who is part of the Algeria squad for the World Cup, has an unclear future with his club despite speculation linking him with a move away.
Frosinone’s Renzo Castagnini addressed the situation directly, saying: “It’s not a given that he’ll leave. We’ll evaluate the approaches and see if we get an offer that satisfies us. It depends entirely on the market.”
Celtic’s interest in Ghedjemis appears ongoing, but Frosinone’s stance suggests any deal will only progress if a satisfactory offer lands on the table.
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