Daizen Maeda has officially completed his £10 million move to Ipswich Town, and despite his departure coming as something of a disappointment, I’m sure we can all wish the Japanese international the very best of luck in his new adventure…
Signed by Ange Postecoglou for £1.2 million in January 2022, Daizen has been nothing but a success in the green and white hoops, making 212 appearances and scoring 79 goals for the club.
The Japanese International also won ten major honours with the club, as he wrote himself into Celtic folklore.
Derby goals, cup final goals, and European goals, Daizen has done it all in a Celtic jersey, and that along with his never say die attitude on the pitch made him a very popular figure among the supporters during his time in Glasgow’s East end.
Players like Daizen only come around once in a generation if that. The players who give nothing less than one hundred percent, as well as contributing massively to the clubs success.
Daizen is also an honourable man, and all round decent human being, so he will be sorely missed by everyone connected to the club.
It was fitting that his final act in a Celtic shirt was to score in a Scottish cup final win, just a week after scoring an ever so vital strike in the last day title win over Hearts. That goal put us ahead of Hearts for the first time since the previous September and set up that thrilling finish when Hearts were caught with their pants down as they desperately pushed for an equaliser. Callum Osmand walking the ball into that empty net was a joy to behold.
Daizen’s goal set that moment up and what about the League Cup final penalty that won us the cup in the shoot-out. Brilliant from Daizen, a player we will always remember. That overhead kick against the Rangers summing his brilliance up perfectly.
Daizen like every other Celtic player last season was worryingly below par, with The Japanese international being singled out more than most due to his much publicised unhappiness, which was due to the club going back on their word in regard to letting him move on last summer when he had a £10m move to Wolfsburg agreed.
However, it wasn’t in Daizen’s nature to down tools, and he stood up when it mattered in the business end of the season, scoring the goals that were the main factor in our double success.
I’m sure every single Celtic supporter will wish him nothing but their best wishes. Arigato Daizen, you will be sorely missed, but you’ll always be forever remembered as a Celtic icon.
Best of luck at Ipswich Daizen.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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