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Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Daizen Maeda scoops another Celtic award as he drops future hint with trophy cabinet running out of space
Maeda has been named the Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in the latest addition to his collection Daizen Maeda says he's putting contract talks on the back burner to concentrate on winning another Treble with Celtic, after being named the SFWA Player of the Year. The Japanese sensation has been in explosive form this term, scoring 33 goals and hoovering up every top individual award including the SFWA gong which he was unsurprisingly handed tonight. Boss Brendan Rodgers has made it clear he wants to extend the fans' favourite's current deal beyond 2027. But with the Hoops also braced for big-money offers, Maeda hinted that he'll wait and see what the summer brings before committing to a new contract. Maeda said: "This is a world where you never know what's going to happen next. "This a good team but I need to think about what comes next with my family and everything. Now my focus is on this team. "I'm not thinking a lot right now because there's still a game to play. I'm thinking about how I spend my day off, so we'll just get the games done, then let's see what happens." Maeda has lifted an astonishing eight trophies in just three-and-a-half seasons since his bargain £1.7million move from Yokohama F. Marinos. He also wrote his name in the club's history books by bagging four Champions League goals this campaign—the most since Joe Craig in 1977/78. Maeda had Bayern Munich's superstars raving about him after terrorising the Bundesliga giants' defence in February's agonising playoff defeat. And if the 27-year-old decides to stay in Glasgow, Maeda believes the Parkhead side can progress even further in Europe next term. He said: "Everyone said we did a great performance in the Champions League but we didn't go through to the next stage. I think there's something missing in our team. So for the next seasons, I think we should try to go to the next stage." Privately, Maeda well have ambitions to play in one of Europe's top five leagues. He's already had a taste of Portuguese football after a season-long stint at Marítimo in 2019-20. Maeda scored four in 24 appearances and believes he wouldn't have returned to his homeland had the Covid pandemic not brought the world to a halt. He said: "I don't think it didn't work well because I was playing for the club. It's just the timing of that club was before and during covid and I had to make a decision for the family. "It all came to an end, there was a decision to go back. If there hadn't been covid I would have stayed in Europe. It is what it is." Maeda must be running out of space on his mantlepiece after adding the Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year prize to his ever-growing collection. He added: "I'm very happy to receive the award. I think teammates come first and it's because of them I have received this award. "After that it's managers, coaches, staff, and also of course my parents. I'm really pleased to receive this award for them."
The National
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
Sutton names two Celtic stars who could head for transfer exit
Maeda has been a massive contributor to the champions' season as they retained the Scottish Premiership title and remain on course for the Treble, scoring 33 goals in all competitions and easing fears over the exit of Kyogo last summer. Named on the nominees last for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award, the Japan international would be many people's favourite to take home the gong as well as the Scottish Football Writers' equivalent. But his form may also have him on the radar of other clubs, especially with his performance level remaining high in the Champions League as well as domestically. Sutton reckons it's important Celtic keep hold of their star man but feels Nicolas Kuhn and Reo Hatate may be sold in the upcoming transfer window. Kuhn had an outstanding start to this season and is another nominee for the PFA award, attracting reported interest in recent months from the likes of Brentford and Brighton. While Hatate has now been at the club for three-and-a-half years, a similar amount of time to Kyogo before he was cashed in on. Read more: Writing for the Daily Record, Sutton said: "Looking at the title success just passed may give some clues into what will happen next. Without question, Nicolas Kuhn had a huge part to play in the triumph. "Having been unconvincing through his first half-season at the club, the German came alive with a strong-pre-season under his belt. "Kuhn's form dropped at the conclusion to the title win, but his contribution to get Celtic into position was exemplary. "The winger's work attracted the attention of scouts and, with that in mind, bids could well arrive. In fact, I'd say it's likely and Celtic may decide he is the one to make the transfer money this summer. "Reo Hatate is another who has played his part and it could be that, after three-and-a-half seasons in Glasgow, his time has come to move on, just as was the case with Kyogo Furuhashi who had been there for the same length of time." And while the former Parkhead favourite is keen to see his old club hang onto Maeda, he also wants them to supplement him with another centre-forward signing. "Maeda's also at three-and-a-half years, but Celtic must surely keep him," he added. "His ability to play as a No.9 takes away the urgency to get a new central striker signed ahead of the Champions League qualifiers. "Adam Idah was supposed to take Kyogo's place, but the fact Rodgers opted to go with Maeda for the majority of the time may tell a story. "For my money, Celtic have to buy a top-class striker. I thought it in January when Kyogo left and I still do."
BBC News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Napoli move 'opened my eyes', says free-scoring McTominay
Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay says playing in Serie A for Napoli has "opened his eyes" and helped him thrive at international 28, made the move to Italy last summer after Manchester United sold him for a fee of £ making the move McTominay has become a regular in the Napoli team and has scored seven times for the Italian giants, who are three points behind league-leaders Inter Milan. He has also been in prolific form for his country recently as well, scoring 11 goals in his past 22 Scotland outings."I would say potentially it has done," McTominay said when asked if the move has made him a better player for Scotland. "It's opened my eyes to a different style of football. It's opened my eyes to a lot of different things off the pitch as well, which I'm very grateful for."Whatever club you play at or if you get a transfer or something like that, you need to have open arms and look to improve."His magnificent performances for Scotland have also seen him voted as the Scottish Football Writers' international player of the year for the second successive year."Very proud," he said of the award. "I'm so grateful to everyone who's helped me in this journey, especially Steve Clarke, because he's the reason why I've been performing so well and the reason why I love coming to the camp, because he makes it such an amazing atmosphere."And for me, I just want to do as much as I can for him and keep thriving as much as possible."McTominay will earn his 60th Scotland cap if he plays against Greece on Sunday and says he never thought he would reach that are 1-0 ahead on aggregate thanks to McTominay's penalty in the first leg as they try to maintain their Nations League A status."So I'm very, very pleased and honoured to play 60 games," he said. "I would have never thought that as a young boy."For me, it's just important to make sure that I'm always available, both for club and country."Availability is so important to me, looking after myself to have as long a career as I possibly can. I want to go really far into my 30s if it's possible. For me, that's something that I've always had a goal of doing."So no matter what happens, I just want to make sure that I'm playing well and prepared to give my all for both club and country."
