Peter Grant says only one Celtic player can ‘naturally’ play as a striker after Daizen Maeda snub

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One of the main topics of discussion at Celtic has been the striker department.

Ever since Kyogo Furuhashi left in January, it has opened up a can of worms, and Celtic haven’t been able to deal with it properly.

But who is Celtic’s starting striker during these coming months? Remember, the champions of Scotland will also be competing in the Europa League.

Given that Daizen Maeda won the PFA Player of the Year last season, and Celtic didn’t sign that proven goalscorer after Adam Idah left, then many of the supporters would point towards him.

But Peter Grant sees it differently.

• READ MORE: Chris Sutton exposes Brendan Rodgers Celtic board comments and questions summer signing ‘head scratcher’

Peter Grant backs Shin Yamada as Celtic’s main striker

Speaking on Go Radio, Grant admitted, ‘I don’t see Maeda as a striker’, even though he netted 33 goals in all competitions last term, and he understands ‘people will see it differently.’

Instead, Grant put forward Shin Yamada’s name, and how he, in terms of movement, has looked the ‘natural’ out of anyone else.

The popular choice might be Maeda up top, but Grant explained why it is his fellow countryman.

“I don’t see Maeda as a striker,” stated Grant. “I know people will see it differently. He scored 30-odd goals last season. I understand that. 

“I don’t see him as a natural finisher for Celtic. He misses too many chances. I go back to it. 33 goals were phenomenal for him last season, and some of the goals were outstanding. 

“But he isn’t a natural striker. Movement. Working off the shoulder. Where to run. All these wee movements. I don’t think he does that naturally.

“Out of the ones I have seen so far, who play it naturally, I look at Shin (Yamada), and I think he plays the position naturally as a striker.

“Whether he is going to be good enough. We haven’t seen enough minutes on the pitch to say that yet.”

Yamada left out of Celtic’s Europa League squad

You have to question if Yamada was even Brendan Rodgers’ signing because he doesn’t seem to be front and centre of his plans.

Benjamin Nygren was thrown straight into the deep end; meanwhile, Yamada has been left out of Celtic’s Europa League squad.

That’s baffling given Celtic’s striker situation, as you wonder just how much the 25-year-old is going to feature domestically from now until January.

Hopefully, this isn’t one of those signings that, in a few years, he is still on Celtic’s books with only a few appearances to his name.