Football: Scottish Cup Celtic s Daizen Maeda L scores in the first half of a Scottish Cup semifinal football match against St. Johnstone in Glasgow, Scotland, on April 20, 2025. Imago Images
Celtic striker Daizen Maeda has attracted a fresh transfer pitch from former England international Alan Smith, who believes the Japanese forward would revitalise Everton next season.
Smith, a former England international turned commentator, told BestBettingsites.co.uk that the Premier League club are in need of exactly the kind of player Maeda represents.
“Well, Everton need pepping up, don’t they?” Smith said, making his case for the Celtic forward to make the move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Smith added: “And, you know, he’s a sharp player, got that experience up at Celtic, where he’s been there a while.”
“So probably a bit more know-how, hasn’t he, than the likes of Barry and Beto. As a 10, he can play as a striker, he can play left, so he’s got that versatility.”
Maeda’s future at Celtic has been a subject of speculation for well over a year, with the striker having expressed a desire to seek a fresh challenge as far back as February 2025.
Last summer, the Japan international looked set to leave the club on deadline day and reportedly even emptied out his locker at Lennoxtown ahead of an anticipated departure.
A move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg was expected, but the transfer collapsed on the final day of the window after Adam Idah departed Celtic, leaving the club without a recognised striker.
Following the collapse of that move, Maeda’s form dropped significantly before he rediscovered his best football, scoring in six consecutive games including in the title deciders against Hearts and in the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline.
After his strong end to the domestic season, Maeda played a key role for Japan at the World Cup, where their campaign was halted by Brazil in the last 32.
The forward has since been promoting his autobiography in Japan, and has hinted strongly that he intends to leave Celtic this summer, citing a need to compete at a higher level.
Maeda has also been candid about the mystery behind his stunning late-season form, admitting he cannot fully explain what changed during that remarkable run of performances.
He told the Japanese press: “There wasn’t any particular reason why I was able to perform well at the end of the season.”
He continued: “I just kept going even when things weren’t going well. I think that in the very end, God saw my relentless efforts, just like I always had.”
The 27-year-old’s combination of versatility, big-game experience, and proven goal-scoring form makes him one of the most sought-after forwards available this transfer window.
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