Celtic to hunt down '5 Daizen Maedas' as Brendan Rodgers warned club won't wait forever

Daily Record

06-05-2025

Stiliyan Petrov wants to see his old side go for it this summer as they look to strengthen
Stiliyan Petrov has backed Celtic to go big in the transfer market this summer to tool up for another crack at the Champions League.
The Hoops hero was wowed by his old club's run to the knockout stages this season – where they pushed Bayern Munich all the way in the fight for a slot in the last 16.
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Petrov is convinced Brendan Rodgers will go again next term and he's convinced Parkhead chiefs will allow the boss to strengthen for the fight.
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Celtic spent almost £30m last summer and have the funds to go again at the end of this term. And Petrov admitted he's hoping the Hoops snap several stars of a similar standard to player of the year Daizen Maeda.
When asked what Celts need for Europe, he joked: 'Buy another five Daizen Maedas!
'There's definitely going to be action from a Celtic point of view.
'I'm sure that Celtic has acknowledged that with the new format of the Champions League, they have a huge potential to do something special on the European stage.
'So I'm pretty sure that Celtic will spend money and give the boys some help. Because it's always good to see fresh faces, some quality and that's what Celtic needs.'
Petrov insisted Celtic are in good shape – especially with Maeda in the side. The Japanese ace made a gruelling 20,000 mile round trip to Japan on family duty but returned to face Rangers on Sunday.
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The relentless attacker missed a chance to become an Ibrox hero in storage time but Petrov admitted the hitman has been priceless at Parkhead.
He said: 'Well, I felt tired the way he was running for 97 minutes!
'He's just relentless. The way he's been playing, he's been incredible for all of the season.
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'I think he's matured really well. He's learned how to penetrate with runs and make sure that he scores goals.
'This is what makes you a top player and he has become a top player for the club.
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'I thought he could finish it better on Sunday, maybe that's something that you think about.
'But you can't blame him. People are talking about how in the last 48 hours he flew to Japan and back - and he played 97 minutes and he's still making that run. You have to give him a lot of credit.'
And John Hartson believes trophy monster Brendan Rodgers needs to give sharp clarity on his long-term Celtic future or risk next season being overshadowed by constant speculation.
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But the former Parkhead hitman is backing Daizen Maeda to commit to the champions.
Rodgers will be at Celtic next term, but nothing is certain beyond that with his current three-year deal expiring at the end of 2025/26.
Hartson reckons it'd be ideal for his old club if the manager extends his stay, but says it's important to have the situation addressed as soon as possible.
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He explained: 'It's going to be up to the manager. In an ideal world, he'd stay for more years. He seems very happy. He's come back, he's won.
'He's got a tough game against Aberdeen (in the Scottish Cup Final), of course. But Brendan Rodgers haemorrhages trophies. That's what he does. He does what it says on the can. He's a winner.
'I think one million per cent he is in for next year. He'll certainly do the three years at the club with the contract that he signed.
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'The issue you've got is the whole year Brendan will be asked questions: Are you staying? Are you going?
"He doesn't want that to affect the team. Brendan will be linked with big moves to Italy and Spain and whatever.
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'But I think, for everybody's sake, there has to become a time next season at some stage where Brendan will have to come out and tell people about his future because, if he waits until the end of the season, everything is going to be dominated by what Brendan is doing.
'Whether he does that, I think the club might want that as well. Let the club know so they can start preparing.'
Maeda has put his own contract talk on hold until the Treble bid is over with the club aiming to hand out an extension to the Player of the Year.
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Hartson knows Celtic are masters at doing smart deals in the market, but does feel the Japanese is going nowhere for now.
He said: 'I do think he'll stay. Celtic can offer Maeda a really decent contract and then because he's got a couple of more years on his contract, if they were to sell him, they'd get more money for him.
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'Celtic have not stood in anybody's way. They'd love to keep Maeda and I'm sure there'll be a new contract offer because he's earned that. That goes without saying.
'But, if somebody comes in with an offer, I'm not even going to say a figure, with an offer that the board are happy with and the player would like a new challenge, they've never stood in anybody's way in that sense.
'Maeda's brilliant and certainly, you don't want to lose a player of his quality, shifted through from the wing.
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'But he used to score goals on the wing as well and he played centre-forward for his country, Japan. That's what he played before Ange Postecoglou.
"You look at the way Ange brought in Reo Hatate, Maeda, Kyogo, fantastic recruitment.
'It's that recruitment of players, I think, that has really pushed Celtic on in recent years.
'The Alistair Johnsons, getting the goalkeepers right, Joe Hart and then Kasper Schmeichel. Cameron Carter Vickers, Jota, selling him for £25 million and bring him back for £8 million. Their recruitment at Celtic deserve an awful lot of credit.'
*John Hartson was speaking at his Foundation's annual golf event at Turnberry. John has been raising awareness about testicular cancer with his 'Grab Life By the Balls' campaign