John Hartson says Brendan Rodgers is ‘delighted’ with improving Celtic hero who is a ‘manager’s dream’

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Brendan Rodgers is blessed with a number of talented players at Celtic right now.

His work in the summer transfer window has added strength and depth to Celtic that even Rodgers himself admits is the strongest he’s had at the club.

However, it’s not one of the new summer arrivals that John Hartson reckons the Celtic boss is delighted with.

It’s a player who arrived at the club under Ange Postecoglou’s tenure that the former Celtic hero has dubbed as a ‘manager’s dream’.

Rodgers ‘delighted’ with Daizen Maeda at Celtic

Daizen Maeda has been a sensation at Celtic since his bid 2021 move from Yokohama F Marinos under Postecoglou.

His work rate and energy have made him a fan favourite and his pace and relentlessness give our rivals nightmares.

And Hartson reckons that this season he has improved so much that Rodgers is ‘absolutely delighted’ with him.

Hartson told The Go Radio Football Show, “He’s a manager’s dream, isn’t he? He works his socks off. Besides that, I do think he’s got better.

“I think his quality has got better. I think his feet are a lot better than what they were when he first came. He’s always had pace. He can always run past people.

“And I think his final ball as well has got better. He’s adding goals to his game. So I think Brendan Rodgers spoke about him a few weeks ago, he’s absolutely delighted with him.”

The numbers behind Daizen Maeda at Celtic

Over his three years at Celtic, Maeda has made 113 appearances picking up three league titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups.

In this time the Japanese winger has also scored 33 goals and created 18 assists. But it is his relentless pace and power and his ability to keep running that impresses not only Rodgers but the Celtic fans too.

One of Europe’s fastest players, Maeda has been clocked at an impressive 34.2km/h which puts him at number six in UEFA’s Champions League stats for pace this season.

At just 26, the Japan international still has his best years ahead of him and being contracted to Celtic until 2027, the Hoops support are going to get to enjoy watching Maeda for at least the next three years or so.