Celtic Cannot Afford Another Transfer Window Disaster: The Maeda Situation Must Be a Turning Point, Not Another Missed Opportunity
At a time when Celtic should be gearing up for a gruelling title race and a European campaign that still holds promise, the club once again finds itself distracted by uncertainty — not from the pitch, but from the boardroom. As January looms, and with whispers growing louder about Daizen Maeda’s imminent departure, the supporters are left asking a painfully familiar question:
Will Celtic be ready this time?
Because if recent history is anything to go by, the answer — worryingly — is probably not.
A Storm Everyone Saw Coming
Let’s not pretend this situation came out of nowhere. Daizen Maeda has been nothing but professional since the day he arrived from Japan in 2022. His relentless energy, selfless running, and tactical discipline made him an instant favourite under Ange Postecoglou and a crucial component in Brendan Rodgers’ high-pressing setup. But over the last year, murmurs of Maeda seeking a new challenge have steadily grown louder.
Crucially, this wasn’t something sprung upon the club at the eleventh hour. Brendan Rodgers himself admitted publicly that he was aware as far back as February that Maeda had ambitions to move on. That’s over eight months ago — plenty of time for a club with proper structure, planning, and foresight to line up alternatives and prepare for a smooth transition.
But instead of acting decisively during the summer window — cashing in while Maeda’s stock was still high and using the funds to reinforce a key position — the club chose to block the move, keeping the player in limbo. The result? A visibly less effective version of Maeda and a potential departure looming anyway, but now at a worse time.
From both a footballing and business perspective, it made no sense. Celtic missed the opportunity to take control of the situation. They’re now at the mercy of it.
The Player is Still Giving Everything — But the Writing is on the Wall
No one is questioning Maeda’s professionalism. He has continued to run himself into the ground every week — often out of position, often doing unglamorous work, and often with little end product to show for it due to systemic issues in the attack.
But any observer can see that his spark has dimmed. There’s a difference between doing a job and doing it with joy. Maeda looks tired — not physically, necessarily, but mentally. As if he’s waiting for a door to open that he was promised months ago. As if he’s stuck between loyalty and ambition.
And that is not the player Celtic need leading the line in what is shaping up to be one of the tightest Premiership title races in years.
This Isn’t a One-Off. It’s a Pattern.
What makes this all the more infuriating for the supporters is that it’s not an isolated incident. It’s part of a worrying trend.
Let’s go back to last January, when Kyogo Furuhashi was surprisingly sold to a Ligue 1 club in the final days of the window. While fans understood his desire to test himself abroad, the timing and lack of preparation were unforgivable. No replacement was lined up. No contingency plan kicked into gear. Celtic were left to finish the season with a depleted front line.
It didn’t stop there.
In the summer that followed, the club sold Kuhn, allowed Sead Hakšabanović to leave, and chose not to pursue Adam Idah, despite the striker scoring 20 goals during his loan spell and expressing a desire to return permanently. Fans were told the board was “working behind the scenes” — but when the window slammed shut, nothing materialised.
The result? A Celtic attack stripped of pace, depth, and dynamism — all in the space of eight months. And now, we’re staring down the barrel of yet another major attacking departure.
Standing Still Means Falling Behind
Let’s not sugar-coat this: Celtic have stood still, and in some areas, even regressed, while others around them have improved. Rangers, under new management, have been shrewd in the market. Hearts and Hibs have been proactive. Even clubs like Aberdeen and St Mirren are scouting smarter and selling for value.
Meanwhile, Celtic — despite record profits, Champions League income, and one of the largest wage bills in Scottish football history — continue to approach transfer windows like a team struggling to balance the books.
You cannot expect to dominate Scottish football or progress in Europe when your transfer policy hinges on late panic buys, loans, and free agents. That may have worked a decade ago — but not anymore.
The Maeda Decision Is a Litmus Test
This January, Celtic’s handling of the Maeda situation will speak volumes. If they allow him to leave without a replacement lined up and ready to contribute immediately, it will confirm what many fans fear: that lessons have not been learned, and that the board remains reactive rather than proactive.
Let’s be clear — the fans aren’t asking for unrealistic spending. They’re not calling for marquee signings on £50,000-a-week contracts. They want a plan. A football strategy. A recruitment model that identifies players before they’re needed, not after the damage is done.
With Maeda’s likely departure now a matter of when, not if, the club needs to be finalising, not starting, the process of bringing in a replacement. Scouting reports should already be on Rodgers’ desk. Targets should already have been contacted. The money should be ready.
Because this isn’t just a football decision anymore — it’s a trust issue.
The Fans Are Running Out of Patience
The Celtic support is among the most passionate and loyal in football. But loyalty is not blind. These fans travel across the country — and across Europe — in their thousands. They fill Parkhead every week. They buy shirts, season tickets, and memberships. And they’re not stupid.
They know when corners are being cut. They know when a club is playing it safe instead of playing to win. And after the last few transfer windows, they’re growing tired of being told to be patient while watching rivals strengthen and their own club stagnate.
Another failure this January — particularly in replacing a high-profile exit like Maeda — could be the breaking point.
Brendan Rodgers Deserves Better — or He Won’t Stay
Rodgers returned to Celtic under heavy scrutiny. Many fans were slow to embrace him again after his mid-season departure to Leicester in 2019. But one thing is certain: he came back to win, not to tread water.
Rodgers has been remarkably composed in the face of clear frustrations over transfer activity. But read between the lines of his interviews, and you’ll find the hints: that recruitment hasn’t matched his expectations, that the squad is thin, and that time is running out to build a team capable of fulfilling the club’s ambitions.
If the board continue to hang him out to dry — forcing him to work without the tools he needs — don’t be surprised if he starts looking elsewhere. And if that happens, the fallout will be severe.
Celtic Must Act Like a Big Club Again
Too often in recent years, Celtic have behaved like a small club with a big name. Clinging to past glories. Relying on talent from the academy or hoping a rough gem from the J-League or Austrian Bundesliga can be polished into a star.
There’s nothing wrong with smart recruitment. In fact, it should be the foundation. But smart doesn’t mean cheap. And clever doesn’t mean slow. You can’t build a squad on hope and hesitancy.
Big clubs plan ahead. They take control of situations before they spiral. They back their managers. They listen to their fans.
Celtic need to start acting like one again.
Final Word: There Are No More Excuses
January is no longer just a transfer window. It’s a reckoning. A chance for the Celtic board to prove they’ve learned from past failings — or a confirmation that they never will.
If Daizen Maeda leaves, a replacement must be ready before he walks out the door. Not a panic loan. Not a free agent who hasn’t played since May. A real replacement — fit, motivated, and capable of contributing from day one.
Anything less would be unforgivable.
The Celtic support is watching. The clock is ticking. And this time, there can be no more excuses.