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You’d be forgiven for assuming that incoming Celtic target Daizen Maeda has played the entirety of his career in Japan.

Given that the J1 League’s joint top scorer is just 24 – you’d also think Celtic were going to be his first crack at the European game.

But you’d be wrong on both counts. Maeda has already played club football in Portugal with Maritimo.

The speedy attacker spent the best part of season 2019/2020 in the Portuguese top-flight, joining Maritimo on loan from former club Matsumoto Yamaga.

There isn’t a great deal of information available about this stint in Iberia. But we do know that the striker, netted just three goals in 23 league games, and one further goal in the cup.

We also know that he has already come into close contact with a current Celtic star – Jota.

Jota meets Maeda in Lisbon

The game was on November 30th 2019, as Jota’s Benfica battered Maeda’s Maritimo 4-0.

The Japanese attacker played the entirety of the bruising defeat – playing on the left-wing. (ESPN)

Jota was a 73rd minute substitute, coming on shortly after the Lisbon side had been reduced to ten men.

The pair’s meeting was so brief that they are unlikely to remember each other.

But it seems like it won’t be long before they’re getting reacquainted in Glasgow.

Celtic seems like a much better fit for Maeda than Maritimo

Up until the most recent J1 League season, Maeda hadn’t ever been truly prolific.

He did score 13 goals in one J2 League campaign for Mito Hollyhock – but didn’t manage to net double figures again until joining Yokohama F. Marinos.

But this upcoming move to Celtic will be a different story, for a number of reasons.

First of all, Maeda is a better player than he was two years ago – as is shown by the number of strikes he managed last season.

He will be reuniting with a manager he knows well, a system he knows well, and will have a team-mate in Kyogo who he will be familiar with.

Not to mention the likes of Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi who could soon join him from Japan.

Maeda should be able to use his previous experience of European football to his advantage at Celtic, as should Ideguchi who previously played for Leeds United.

Now let’s get these guys signed and bedded in.

In other news, things should be about to get lively at Celtic next week