Ipswich hold talks for Celtic's Daizen Maeda - report

Ipswich Town have held talks with Celtic over a deal for Japan international Daizen Maeda, according to reports, though no formal offer has been made. The newly promoted Premier League side are said to want a quick agreement for the Celtic forward, who has openly declared his desire to play in England's top flight.

Transfer speculation around Daizen Maeda intensified after The Scottish Sun reported that Ipswich have moved for the 28-year-old, a claim echoed by the East Anglian Daily Times and Glasgow Times. For readers who track career moves and long-term earning paths alongside football news, BlasterPost's Wealth Hacks & Passive Income coverage puts big-money sports stories in a wider money context.

Key Takeaways

• Ipswich Town have discussed conditions with Celtic for Daizen Maeda, with no formal bid reported yet.
• Maeda is out of contract next summer and has said this feels like the right time for a Premier League move.
• Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has spoken about the likelihood of Maeda leaving and also said he would love the forward to see out his final year.
• Ipswich are already spending heavily after promotion and are linked with other Japanese target Hidemasa Morita.
• Celtic are reportedly lining up Egypt international Haissem Hassan as a possible replacement.

What have Ipswich and Celtic discussed about Daizen Maeda?

According to reporting first carried by The Scottish Sun and followed by regional titles, Ipswich and Celtic have talked about the conditions of a potential transfer for Maeda. The East Anglian Daily Times stressed that those talks have not yet produced a formal offer.

Ipswich are described as keen to thrash out a swift agreement. The Portman Road club have returned to the Premier League and are backing new boss Gary O'Neil after an instant relegation two years ago, per The Scottish Sun.

Fuller detail on the talks was summarised by the East Anglian Daily Times, which framed the story as an opening of discussions rather than a completed deal.

Why does Daizen Maeda want a Premier League move now?

Maeda has made his ambition clear. Speaking last week on Japanese YouTube show Pivot, he said that since joining Celtic he became interested in the Premier League, began watching many matches, and has a strong desire to play there.

In further comments reported by The Scottish Sun and Glasgow Times, he said he has always wanted Premier League football, that the timing feels right, and that his strongest wish is to play in the division for at least a year. He called it the best league and said he is confident he can succeed there.

He also argued that there are strengths to being Japanese and that, whichever club he joins, there will be people who want him — a message aimed at proving himself on a bigger stage.

Maeda, who mainly plays off the left but can operate across the forward line, joined Celtic in 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos after earlier time that included a loan at Portuguese side Maritimo. He has one year left on his Celtic contract.

What has Celtic said about losing their Japanese star?

Martin O'Neill has publicly addressed Maeda's future. The East Anglian Daily Times reported that the Celtic boss admitted the forward could leave before the start of next season's Scottish Premiership.

The Scottish Sun said O'Neill expected Maeda to move on and, on the eve of Celtic's Scottish Cup final win over Dunfermline in May, suggested it was likely to be Maeda's last appearance for the club.

Separately, the Glasgow Times quoted O'Neill saying there is "some resignation" around the situation, that Celtic are not simply trying to cash in because one year remains, and that personally he would love Maeda to let the contract run and play that final year. He added he does not know whether that is in the player's or agent's mind.

Maeda missed a move to Wolfsburg last summer. The Scottish Sun noted renewed Bundesliga interest, while stressing the forward is determined to force through an English Premier League switch.

How does this fit Ipswich's summer spending plans?

Ipswich's interest sits inside a busy recruitment window. The Glasgow Times reported a roughly £27 million outlay on striker Emersonn; The Scottish Sun put that fee at £26.6 million from Toulouse. Both outlets said Ipswich are also in talks for Morocco centre-back Issa Diop from Fulham, with figures of about £8 million to £8.5 million cited.

The East Anglian Daily Times added that deals for Abdul Fatawu from Leicester (£20 million) and Kayne van Oevelen from FC Volendam (£3.4 million) are expected to be completed in coming days, with negotiations also said to be ongoing with Union SG for Kjell Scherpen.

Maeda would be the second Japanese player Ipswich have targeted this summer. Talks with free agent Hidemasa Morita continue after his departure from Sporting CP, according to the East Anglian Daily Times.

What would Celtic do if Daizen Maeda leaves?

If Maeda departs, Celtic are already considering replacements. The Scottish Sun reported that the club want Real Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan, an Egypt World Cup player with one year left on his Spanish deal, as a direct option. SunSport Online also said Celtic have renewed interest in Bodo/Glimt forward Kasper Hogh after a hoped-for £7 million January move failed when the Norwegian club's Champions League run kept him put.

Celtic have added Colombian forward Camilo Duran for £6 million this summer and are expected to push for more arrivals with their Premiership title defence approaching, The Scottish Sun reported.

On the pitch, Maeda's Celtic record is substantial. Across the last four years he has won five Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups. The Scottish Sun credited him with double Player of the Year awards in 2024/25 and a key late-season burst of nine goals in seven games, including the opener in the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline.

Internationally, he has 30 senior caps for Japan. He started three of Japan's four 2026 World Cup matches and scored the opener against Sweden before a last-32 exit to Brazil, according to the East Anglian Daily Times and The Scottish Sun.

None of the reports confirm a fee, a signed contract, or a completed medical. Until a formal bid lands and Celtic decide whether to sell, Daizen Maeda's next step remains a live rumour rather than a done deal — but Ipswich's reported talks make clear that his Premier League dream now has a concrete English suitor.