Yokohama F Marinos coach Kevin Muscat has joked he hopes Celtic won’t be made aware of Daizen Maeda’s hat-trick at the weekend amid speculation linking the Japan international with the Hoops, speaking to Yahoo Sports.
Eyebrows were raised when Celtic snapped up Kyogo Furuhashi in the summer transfer window, a player who – while a household name in Asia – was hardly well known in Glasgow’s East End.
Four months on, to say Furhashi has silenced his doubters would be the understatement of the century.
And with The Times reporting 24-year-old Maeda could soon follow in his footsteps – Celtic are reportedly confident a January deal can be agreed for another Marinos star – the hope will be he can emulate Furuhashi’s transformative impact in green and white.
Is Daizen Maeda on his way to Celtic?
Maeda showcased his searing pace and ice-cool finishing during Saturday’s 8-0 thrashing of FC Tokyo, with Muscat hoping another man of the match performance from his talismanic attacker slipped under Celtic’s radar.
“I hope his great performance won’t be broadcast in Europe,” the former Rangers and Australia ace said with a laugh.
“It’s a difficult question about his best position. He’s one of the players who can have multiple positions along the front line. But he’s a player with the flexibility to play on the left.”
Maeda, who was brought to Yokohama by none other than Ange Postecoglou during their time together in Japan, has now scored 21 goals in 33 league games this season, four more than his nearest challenger in the Golden Boot race – former Brazil international Leandro Damiao.
Maeda has made the majority of his appearances on the left of the front line this season, the same position Felipe Jota has made his own at Celtic.
So it remains to be seen how Postecoglou could fit both players into the same side.
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