Daizen Maeda’s Celtic story heading towards sad ending as John Hartson makes feelings clear

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Daizen Maeda has been one of Celtic’s most popular players in recent years.

But it wouldn’t be a surprise if that popularity has taken a few hits this season, because Maeda simply hasn’t been himself.

Whatever the cause, it has left John Hartson puzzled as he tries to work out what has gone wrong, and why.

“Maeda, who scored 33 goals last season, he just hasn’t looked the same player,” stated Hartson.

“I don’t know whether he is happy. I don’t know, he’s looking that his mate went a couple of years ago, Kyogo.”

Maeda was signed by Ange Postecoglou in 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos, and he became one of many Japanese stars who wrote the name up in lights with the champions of Scotland.

But that light is now fading and in a pretty sad way.

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John Hartson questions Daizen Maeda at Celtic

Maeda was very honest when the 2025 summer transfer window closed that he wanted to leave Celtic, but a transfer away was blocked.

That’s why on Let Me Be Frank, Hartson questioned whether the all-action forward is happy in Glasgow, or if it’s down to Kyogo Furuhashi also leaving over 12 months ago.

Either way, it’s a situation that hasn’t helped nobody’s cause, from Brendan Rodgers at the start of the season, Martin O’Neill now, the player himself, the fans and the club’s trophy cause.

“You go back to a striker,” said Hartson. “Maeda, who scored 33 goals last season, he just hasn’t looked the same player.

“I don’t know whether he is happy. I don’t know, he’s looking that his mate went a couple of years ago, Kyogo. He has been a great player, by the way, Maeda.

“But at this moment in time, he’s just not producing the goals.”

Maeda’s numbers this season compared to last season

Maeda went goal crazy last season, especially after Kyogo headed for the exit door during the January transfer window.

Despite Kyogo’s exit, Celtic would still seal the double under Rodgers, including missing out on the Treble by a kick of a football.

But this is how Maeda’s numbers compare from this season to the previous campaign. Premiership numbers only.

It’s a clear decline, with the output going out of the window, but some would suggest Maeda has never been ruthless in front of goal and last season was just a one off.

Either way, that goal conversion rate of ‘13%’, while it has been woeful this season, just needs to hit the mark during the last few weeks, and for these post-split fixture, because it could prove to be trophy-winning.