Ipswich Town complete £10m signing of Japan forward Daizen Maeda from Celtic
Gary O’Neil welcomes Maeda as a “valuable member” of the squad following his transformative final season at Celtic
Ipswich Town have secured the signing of Japanese forward Daizen Maeda from Celtic on a three-year contract running until the summer of 2029. The transfer, reported to be valued at £10 million, sees the 28-year-old join the newly promoted Premier League side after a successful four-and-a-half-year stint in Glasgow.
Maeda arrives at Portman Road following a pivotal 2025-26 campaign for Celtic, where he scored seven goals in five Premiership matches. His form was instrumental in securing the league title, including scoring the decisive winner in the final-day match against Hearts. He also opened the scoring in the Scottish Cup final victory over Dunfermline Athletic before departing the club.
Ipswich manager Gary O’Neil, who took charge in the summer following Kieran McKenna’s departure, has welcomed Maeda to the squad. O’Neil described the forward as a “valuable member” of the team, citing his hard work, physical attributes, and proven ability to score and create goals. Maeda himself expressed satisfaction at realising his dream of playing in the Premier League, promising to “battle hard” for his new club.
The forward brings significant experience to the Premier League, having made 212 appearances and scored 79 goals for Celtic. During his time in Scotland, he won five league titles, three Scottish Cups, and two League Cups. He also represented Japan at the 2026 World Cup, where he scored in a 1-1 draw against Sweden before his nation was eliminated by Brazil in the last 32.
Maeda joins a summer of activity for Ipswich, who secured promotion back to the top flight by finishing second in the Championship last season. He follows the arrivals of defender Issa Diop, winger Abdul Fatawu, striker Emersonn, and goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen. Additionally, Cedric Kipre and Chuba Akpom have joined permanently after successful loan spells.
Celtic issued a statement thanking Maeda for his contribution, noting that his “relentless energy and vital goals were an essential part of the team.” Maeda had initially joined Celtic on loan from Yokohama F Marinos in late 2022 before completing a permanent switch in the following summer, arriving during the early days of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure.
