A huge summer awaits Celtic and Brendan Rodgers.
In recent times, the powers that be at Celtic Park have done very well in the recruitment department, both the incomings and outgoings.
Ideally, Rodgers doesn’t want to lose his key players, but when the money is put on the table, especially those from the English Premier League, then the club has no choice but to sell.
That has been proven over the years. Go back to Kieran Tierney leaving his boyhood club to join Arsenal in 2019.
Or even as recently as the summer gone by, Celtic selling Matt O’Riley to Brighton for a club-record transfer fee.
But could the same dilemmas and issues come to the table this summer, with a certain high-flying, Daizen Maeda?!
Celtic selling Daizen Maeda like Gareth Bale’s move to Real Madrid
Maeda is the Player of the Year right now, whether it’s the Champions League or in the Premiership itself, he is cooking like never before.
John Hartson spoke about Maeda’s form and possible interest in the all-action forward when the transfer window re-opens.
The former Celtic striker compared it to Gareth Bale joining Real Madrid in 2013 for £85 million and how Tottenham used interest from Manchester United to generate as much money out of the deal as possible.
Hartson suggested that Celtic could do just that with Maeda in the summer, as he told Go Radio.
On how much Maeda is worth: “I am going to be diplomatic about this,” said Hartson.
“A player is only worth what somebody is willing to pay. If two clubs want you, ideally that becomes a bit of an auction.
“Then, you can play one club off the other. Like Gareth Bale at Real Madrid. He had Man United (in for him), then all of a sudden, you can play both teams off each other.
“The agents are double busy. They are working with the players and talking to both clubs. That’s what the situation will be with Maeda.
“If any offer comes in and it blows everything out of the water. A ridiculous offer.”
Why Brendan Rodgers would be open to selling Maeda
Celtic have proven time and time again that, whoever leaves the building, the club can continue to move forward.
Just look at O’Riley’s sale and even Kyogo Furuhashi leaving in January.
But Hartson thinks that Rodgers would be open to selling if the right money is put on the table and how the Celtic manager ‘won’t stand in their way’.
“When you are playing well, winning games and you are outstanding in your performance levels,” said Hartson.
“You have your manager praising you every week for your performances and closing down. That’s how Celtic like to play. He is a focal point for closing down.
“But when you are performing at the level that he is, then you would expect interest. You would expect a lot of interest, whether or not they come up with a valuation.
“Brendan Rodgers always said, ‘if Celtic get the valuation or get what Celtic feel the player is worth’, then he wouldn’t stand in anybody’s way.
“From a Celtic point of view, 26 goals, they don’t want to lose a player like that. They want him for the Champions League, especially at his age. He is in his prime as well. He is absolutely at the top of his game.
“Of course, they don’t want to sell their best players, but if Rodgers said that they got the right offer, then they won’t stand in their way.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
