Southampton are reportedly ready to make their first move to sign Celtic star Daizen Maeda, with the Japanese international being scouted by the Saints this weekend.
According to Sky Sports News, the Premier League side could soon make an attempt to sign Maeda, who has been in sensational form for Celtic since joining the Scottish giants last season, with the 25-year-old bagging 14 goals and ten assists in under 50 appearances for the Hoops.
Top-scorer in the J-League before moving to Glasgow, Maeda has been part of Ange Postecoglou’s Japanese revolution at Celtic that has seen the Bhoys win the Scottish Premiership as well as return to the UEFA Champions League proper. And now, Southampton are interested in the forward.
As per the report, the Saints have an impressive track record when it comes to signing players from Celtic, with Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and more recently Stuart Armstrong all going on to flourish at St. Mary’s having been signed from the Scottish giants.
And now, Maeda, who Ally McCoist lauded as ‘absolutely unbelievable’. could be next on Southampton’s agenda, with Nathan Jones eager to bolster his attacking options further following the signing of Croatian international Mislav Orsic last week. And Maeda could be quite the addition for the Premier League side.
Indeed, it would take quite the financial effort to lure one of Celtic’s best attackers away from Postecoglou. However, the appeal of playing in the Premier League could be a very tempting one for Maeda, who already looks ready to star in the English top-flight despite just 12 months in Scotland.
Southampton signing Maeda could be one of the deals of the month
Able to play in every position in the attacking three, Maeda’s versatility is a key reason why the Japanese international has been such a hit at Celtic in the last year. And the 25-year-old could be one of the deals of the January window if Southampton manage to strike a deal for the forward.
As we know, the Hoops are in need of some attacking depth this month, and with the Saints’ track record from signing Celtic players as good as it is, it makes sense why Jones would now be willing to make a move for Maeda, who could be perfect for the Premier League.
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