The latest Ipswich Town arrival is Daizen Maeda (£5.5m), joining from Celtic in a deal worth up to £10 million.
Used mainly as a left-sided winger in Glasgow, but occasionally up front, the 28-year-old’s latest two seasons have seen plenty of goals and assists.
So, can the Japanese international adapt quickly and make an impact in Fantasy Premier League (FPL)?
READ MORE: Can World Cup star Manzambi be a good FPL buy at Villa?
THE HISTORY
It all began at Matsumoto Yamaga, who sent Maeda on loan to Mito, Portuguese side Maritimo, and then Yokohama F Marinos. The latter captured him permanently in 2021, in time for a brilliant 23-goal campaign that secured the league’s Golden Boot.
| SEASON | TEAM | DIVISION | STARTS (SUBS) | GOALS | ASSISTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Celtic | Scottish Premiership | 32 (4) | 14 | 16 |
| 2024/25 | Celtic | Scottish Premiership | 30 (4) | 16 | 10 |
| 2023/24 | Celtic | Scottish Premiership | 25 (3) | 6 | 3 |
| 2022/23 | Celtic | Scottish Premiership | 25 (10) | 8 | 5 |
| 2021/22 | Celtic (loan) | Scottish Premiership | 14 (2) | 6 | 5 |
| 2021 | Yokohama F Marinos | J1 League | 33 (3) | 23 | 3 |
That’s why, halfway through 2021/22, he followed Ange Postecoglou to Celtic and scored four minutes into his debut.
During four-and-a-half Glasgow years, Maeda accumulated 79 goals, five league titles and five domestic cups across 212 matches. 2024/25 was particularly strong, scoring 33 times in all competitions – including four Champions League strikes.
And, while last season started poorly, there were eventually 30 attacking returns in the league. In fact, Maeda grabbed seven goals in Celtic’s final five, including a magical overhead kick past Rangers, and the second in a dramatic title-deciding climax versus Hearts. An emotional farewell for a beloved Bhoy.
On the biggest stage, he’s twice helped Japan reach the World Cup knockout phase, netting against Croatia (2022) and Sweden (2026).
WHERE MAEDA FITS IN AT IPSWICH
As seen on Transfermarkt, he was more of a left winger than a forward at Celtic. One who is fast, hard-working, and great at pressing.
Yet Ipswich scored an impressive 28 Championship goals from there, shared between Jack Clarke (£5.5m) and Jaden Philogene (£5.5m).
“He works extremely hard and has impressive physical attributes, while also proving over a number of years playing in Scotland that he has the ability to score goals and create for his team. He will be a valuable member of the squad, and we look forward to him joining up with the group.” – Ipswich Town manager Gary O’Neil
If it weren’t for the big-money Emersonn (£5.5m) signing, perhaps he could’ve been labelled as Ivan Azon’s replacement, to compete with 11-goal George Hirst (£5.0m). Meanwhile, Abdul Fatawu (£5.5m) has joined for the right side.
IS MAEDA WORTH BUYING IN FPL?
That’s why, nearer the first deadline, it’s wise to check our ultimate pre-season guide to see how Maeda is deployed in friendlies versus Rayo Vallecano and Union Berlin.
Speaking of Gameweek 1, the hosting of Sunderland looks promising, but then it’s Manchester United (a) and Liverpool (h).
Instead, it could be best to jump onto Ipswich between Gameweeks 4 and 10. Although even that includes a middle trip to Manchester City.
Listed as a £5.5m midfielder, Maeda’s price point doesn’t seem particularly competitive. Only Pascal Gross and, at a stretch, Granit Xhaka are getting slight attention there. He is certainly one to monitor in pre-season, then.
