Daizen Maeda is confident Ange Postecoglou can have a ‘very strong’ attack if he is fielded with compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi in the Celtic frontline, via quotes by the Glasgow Times.
Postecoglou returned to raid the J1-League in the January sales with Maeda joining on loan from Yokohama F Marinos. The Bhoys’ deal to bring the 24-year-old to Parkhead includes a £1.7m clause to make the switch permanent this summer.
Maeda is now one four Japanese imports that Postecoglou has acquired since taking charge of the Premiership giants. He bought Furuhashi from Vissel Kobe for £4.5m last July, while striking mid-season deals for Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.
Maeda arrives in Glasgow as the reigning J1-League Golden Boot winner. The striker scored 23 goals in 2021, level with Hatate’s former Kawasaki Frontale teammate Leandro Damiao.
But the four-cap Japan international also frequently featured on the left-wing, rather than exclusively as a centre-forward. He started 25 games on the flank to eight in a central role.
Maeda confident of ‘very strong’ Celtic partnership with Furuhashi
Maeda is happy to occupy either a central or wide role in Postecoglou’s side after following Furuhashi to Celtic. He also believes the pair can combine in a frontline capable of running Scottish defences ragged if now played together.
“I don’t yet know the plan of the manager,” he said. “But if we are asked to play together, then we would be very strong. I think it is an option, but let’s see how it works – I do not make those decisions.
“I have been playing for a long time as a centre-forward. In Marinos, my former club, I sometimes played as a left-winger. I am happy playing in either position. It is a decision for the manager and coaches. I will do my job wherever they want me to do it.
“I will always give my best. The first thing I bring to the team is speed. When I am behind the opposition defence, I try to be the first defender for my team. I want to create and score goals. These are the things I’m looking forward to showing to the Celtic fans”
Postecoglou could be in Parkhead dreamland after January deals
Postecoglou could be in dreamland at Parkhead after Celtic’s January deal to bring Maeda to Glasgow following Furuhashi’s successful start. The 26-year-old has scored 16 goals and offered five assists in 26 appearances across all competitions so far.
Only Motherwell striker Tony Watt (9) has also outscored Furuhashi (8) in the Premiership this season. Yet the 27-year-old has featured in five more fixtures than the Hoops star has.
Chris Sutton has also been full of praise for Furuhashi throughout his Parkhead stay to date. The four-time Premiership winner with the Bhoys noted on Twitter in November: “Kyogo, the best player in the country so far this season – unplayable at times.”
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