DAIZEN MAEDA has faced the media for the first time since arriving in Glasgow on Hogmanay.
Previous to this, he was in the J-League with Yokohama F. Marinos with current boss Ange Postecoglou.
Ange joined Celtic during the summer break, but in Japan, this was partway through a season. Postecoglou admitted at the time it would be harder to bring J-League players over at that time and the club may have to wait until the season was completed.
The Greek-Aussie boss managed to bring Kyogo Furuhashi to Scotland in the summer and it is fair to say that he has been a brilliant signing.
Today, Daizen Maeda revealed he had could have joined Kyogo in Glasgow but instead, the 24-year-old wanted to help with his former team’s title push. As cited by the BBC;
“Of course it was a choice in the summer I was aware of. But back then I really wanted to win [the title] with Yokohama.
“I wasn’t able to do that, but am extremely happy to be here with Celtic now.”
Celtic fans will see this as a positive character trait. Loyalty and the drive to try and win with his former side before moving to Glasgow is certainly admirable.
