Celtic star Daizen Maeda admits 'strong desire' to play in Premier League

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda admits he has his sights set on a move to the Premier League.

The Japan international is entering the final 12 months of his contract and manager Martin O’Neill has admitted the forward could be on the move this summer.

Speaking on Japanese YouTube show Pivot, the 28-year-old said: “Since I went to Celtic, I became interested in the Premier League. I started watching a lot of Premier League games. I have a strong desire to play in the Premier League.

“I watch all the games. When I was in Japan, I didn’t watch football at all. But when I went abroad, I was able to watch it in real time. So I naturally watched the Premier League.

“I was watching Atletico’s game and (Antoine) Griezmann scored a loop shot. The next day, I scored the same loop shot. So I thought it was important to watch football.”

When quizzed on his Premier League ambitions, Maeda added: “I think the higher you go, the better you get.”

O’Neill told reporters at the weekend that there was a “resignation” around the prospect of Maeda leaving but he hoped the versatile attacker would see out the final year of his contract.

Celtic rejected a bid from Wolfsburg for the pacey forward last August amid their long-term struggles to sign attackers but they finally managed to buy a proven striker last week when they brought in Colombian Camilo Duran from Qarabag.

Maeda scored 33 goals for Celtic in the 2024-25 campaign and played a pivotal role in their double-winning season last time out with nine goals in the last seven matches. He also scored for Japan against Sweden in the World Cup.

Maeda’s comments came after O’Neill opened up on the future of several key midfielders at the weekend.

O’Neill admitted Celtic were braced for interest in Belgian midfielder Arne Engels and Sweden international Benjamin Nygren and hinted that both could be on their way.

Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate looks likely to depart after falling out of favour and O’Neill will hold talks with Callum McGregor after the captain switched agents in the wake of comments made over the club’s “ambition”.