He ran, he pressed, he scored. He did it all. And now he’s gone.
Daizen Maeda has left Celtic for Ipswich Town in a £10m deal, ending four-and-a-half unforgettable years in Glasgow. The Japanese ace fired nine goals in seven games to drag Celtic back from the brink and secure another Double. He made 212 appearances, scored 79 goals, provided 39 assists, and won 10 major honours. He was relentless. He was irreplaceable. He was Celtic’s engine.
But the problem isn’t just replacing his goals. It’s replacing his running. His intensity. His pressing. The thing that made Maeda a one-off.
And one young star has set himself the task of doing exactly that. Callum Osmand knows the challenge. He knows it’s impossible. He’s going to try anyway.
THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK
Callum Osmand ran the length of the pitch to score the title-clinching goal against Hearts on the final day of last season. It was the moment Celtic secured the Premiership title. It was the moment Maeda’s farewell was sealed. And it was the moment Osmand announced himself as the future.
Now the 20-year-old wants to do what nobody thinks is possible.
“They are big boots to fill as Daizen offered something completely different to anyone else,” Osmand said. “Hopefully I can offer glimpses of what his running was like. That would be my goal to match his running, which is probably impossible! I want to try to bring that intensity and some of the bits of the way he played.”
THE PROBLEM NOBODY SAW COMING
Celtic have already spent big to replace Maeda. Kasper Hogh arrived for a club-record £11m after firing Bodo/Glimt into the Champions League round of 16. Camilo Duran joined for £6m after impressing against Europe’s elite with Qarabag. Martin O’Neill has even hinted he could rip up his trusted 4-3-3 system to squeeze both big-money frontmen into the same team.
But Hogh and Duran can’t run like Maeda. They can’t press like Maeda. They can’t relentlessly chase down defenders for 90 minutes like Maeda.
That’s the problem.
Maeda was unique. He was the heartbeat of Celtic’s press. He was the man who set the tone. He was the player who never stopped running. And now he’s gone.
OSMAND’S DETERMINATION
Osmand is relishing the battle for a starting place alongside the new arrivals. He knows the competition is fierce. He knows the pressure is on. He’s ready for it.
“At every club, you always have someone competing with you,” he said. “It’s good as it keeps us pushing each other to get better. You have to be playing better to get a game when there’s more quality in the squad.”
“It will be a good thing for all three of us to push each other.”
THE MAEDA LEGACY
Daizen Maeda leaves Celtic with a legacy that few can match. Since making his debut for Celtic, only James Tavernier and Lawrence Shankland have directly contributed to more goals in the Scottish Premiership than Maeda. He scored in the Scottish Cup semi-final, all five post-split fixtures, and the Scottish Cup final. He delivered when it mattered most. He was a hero.
And he did it all with a smile.
“Obviously the goal against Rangers is the best,” Maeda said after the Scottish Cup win. It was a classic Maeda moment. Humble. Understated. Brilliant.
O’NEILL’S VERDICT
Martin O’Neill was sad to see Maeda leave, but he understood the decision.
“Naturally, I will miss him,” O’Neill said. “Before I came here, the club made him a real big offer, on our terms, at least 16 months ago. And the lad refused to do it in the sense that he wanted to play in the Premier League if he could, or the Bundesliga.”
“So I will obviously miss him, but I’m delighted for him at the same time, genuinely delighted for him. He deserves the move because he’s been fantastic for the club. We will miss his presence around the place and Ipswich will be getting somebody that they will grow to really like.”
THE FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE
Osmand is convinced there will still be plenty of opportunities for him. He’s ready to fight for his place. He’s ready to push himself. He’s ready to try the impossible.
And that’s exactly what Celtic need.
No one can replace Daizen Maeda. Not the £17m strike duo. Not the record signings. Not anyone. He was unique. He was relentless. He was irreplaceable.
But Osmand is determined to carry on the relentless pressing and intensity that made the Japanese ace a Hoops hero. He knows nobody can replace Maeda. He’s going to try anyway.
“That would be my goal to match his running, which is probably impossible!”
Probably impossible. But he’s going to try.
That’s the spirit Celtic need. That’s the spirit that made Maeda a legend. And that’s the spirit that could make Osmand the next hero.
Celtic’s title defence begins on August 3 against Dundee FC. The Maeda era is over. The Osmand era is just beginning.
