D. Maeda news
'Celtic close to Hogh signing' as Maeda nears exit - gossip
Kasper Hogh is likely to move to Celtic after the Scottish champions held talks with Bodo/Glimt over the transfer for the 25-year-old, £7m-rated Danish striker. Kasper Hogh was an unused substitute for Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night as the Norwegian champions secured a 3-0 victory over HamKam amid reports that Celtic are poised to sign the 25-year-old who has been on their radar since January. Japan forward Daizen Maeda arrived in London on Thursday to undergo a medical ahead of a £10m transfer to Ipswich Town and the 28-year-old's exit from Celtic could be confirmed on Friday.
Maeda as difficult for Celtic to replace as Kyogo - Allan
Celtic will find it as difficult to replace Daizen Maeda this summer as they did Japan team-mate Kyogo Furuhashi 18 months ago, according to former midfielder Scott Allan. Reports claim Ipswich Town, promoted to the Premier League, have agreed a deal in principle with Celtic to sign 28-year-old forward Maeda for an initial £8m fee that could rise to £10m with add-ons.
Maeda in, Philogene out? Your Ipswich squad tweaks
Shaun: I would love to sign Zian Flemming from Burnley and I would offload George Hirst if possible. Reuben: I would say (and some people might disagree with me) that Jack Clarke should leave the club, as long as Jaden Philogene stays. James: Daizen Maeda from Celtic would be great.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland among nominees for 2026 World Cup Goal of the Tournament
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland are three of the twelve nominees in contention to claim the 2026 World Cup Goal of the Tournament. The 2026 World Cup belonged to the game’s biggest icons, with marquee superstars delivering unforgettable performances across North America. With the tournament now in the books, FIFA has opened voting for one of its most anticipated individual honors: the 2026 World Cup Goal of the Tournament, featuring a star-studded list headed by Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland. This expanded edition proved to be the highest-scoring tournament in FIFA history, shattering previous records with a staggering 308 goals across 104 matches. Following Sunday’s final, FIFA officially unveiled a 12-goal shortlist for fans to crown the tournament’s single finest strike. Unsurprisingly, Messi earned a nomination among his eight tournament goals, with FIFA selecting his opening-match stunner against Algeria. Back on June 16, the Argentine captain collected a crisp pass from Rodrigo De Paul in the central channel before whipping a curled, long-range laser past Luca Zidane into the top-right corner to kick off his team’s campaign in style. MESSI SCORES ARGENTINA’S FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP! 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/JyNwqGCaFU— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026 Earlier that same day, Mbappe put on a shooting display of his own, capping a two-goal performance to lead France past Senegal 3-1 in their group-stage opener. Standing 32 yards out from Edouard Mendy’s goal, the Real Madrid superstar unleashed a thunderous strike that clipped the underside of the crossbar, marking his 58th career goal for Les Bleus to become his country’s all-time leading scorer. Absolute GOLAZO from Mbappé! 🇫🇷Kylian Mbappé is now France's ALL-TIME leading goalscorer pic.twitter.com/5phfectcIY— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 16, 2026 Haaland also earned a nod after authoring a legendary chapter in Norwegian soccer history. On July 5 against Brazil in the Round of 16, the physically imposing striker latched onto a delicate layoff from Andreas Schjelderup at the edge of the 18-yard box, hammering a blistering crossed shot home to seal an iconic 2-1 upset victory over the Canarinha. ERLING HAALAND IS BRILLIANT TO BAG HIS BRACE AND PUT NORWAY UP 2-0 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/QA4bZE5DCe— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 5, 2026 The other candidates Kerim Alajbegovic — Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar (1-0), Group B, 24 June.Julian Alvarez — Argentina vs. Switzerland (2-1), 11 July.Jude Bellingham — England vs. France (4-6), 18 July.Sidny Lopes Cabral — Cabo Verde vs. Argentina (2-2), 3 July.Wilson Isidor — Haiti vs. Morocco (2-1), Group C, 24 June.Elijah Just — New Zealand vs. IR Iran (1-0), Group G, 15 June.Daizen Maeda — Japan vs. Sweden (1-0), Group F, 25 June.Eldor Shomurodov — Uzbekistan vs. Congo DR (1-0), Group K, 28 June.Ferran Torres — Spain vs. Argentina (1-0), Final, 19 July.
Is Duran Celtic's new Maeda?
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has noticed similarities between new striker Camilo Duran and Daizen Maeda. The Colombian, Celtic's only summer signing so far, scored just five minutes after coming off the bench in the Scottish side's 4-1 friendly defeat to Sporting Lisbon. The 24-year-old dispossessed the Sporting defender to net from close range and draw Celtic level in the game before going on to concede a further three before full-time.

‘I want to play in the Premier League’ – Maeda opens door to Celtic exit
After four years in the Scottish Premiership with Celtic, Daizen Maeda has expressed his desire to compete in the Premier League. The post ‘I want to play in the Premier League’ – Maeda opens door to Celtic exit appeared first on SoccerNews.
Maeda repeats strong desire to play in Premier League - gossip
Daizen Maeda has reiterated his strong desire to play in the Premier League amid speculation about the 28-year-old Japan forward's future with Celtic. Nottingham Forest have submitted the first official offer of the summer for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, while Roma are reportedly planning a bid and Villarreal are the latest to express an interest in the 22-year-old. Manager Martin O'Neill is not aware of any fresh approach from Nottingham Forest for Arne Engels but says Kelechi Iheanacho has been offered a new contract by Celtic, who are waiting for an answer from the 29-year-old striker.
Maeda 'can't stay at my current level' after World Cup exit
Daizen Maeda says the World Cup "made me realise that I can't stay at my current level" after the Celtic forward suffered last-32 disappointment as Japan were knocked out following a 2-1 defeat by Brazil. A transfer from the Scottish champions to Wolfsburg reportedly fell through late in last summer's transfer window for the 28-year-old. "I personally feel that I need to keep improving and take another step forward," Maeda was quoted as saying by Sky Sports after the loss to Brazil.

How Brazil’s win, draw, or loss vs Japan could impact the 2026 World Cup bracket
Despite his disappointing start, Brazil have secured their place in the knockout stage as leaders of the group. With this in mind, they face Japan, looking to make secure their Round of 16 spot. Therefore, a win, a draw, or a loss could significantly affect the knockout bracket. Unlike previous editions, Brazil arrived at the 2026 World Cup surrounded by major doubts about their level. Despite their draw against Morocco, they managed to silence those doubts with two victories to secure first place in their group. As a result, they face Japan today in the Round of 32. Since this is the knockout stage, a win, a draw, or a defeat could significantly affect the bracket for the next round. Japan have become one of the most solid national teams in the tournament. Head coach Hajime Moriyasu has managed to implement a very versatile style of play. Therefore, they may not struggle much against Brazil’s attack, as they know how to sit deep defensively. In addition, they excel through their wing-backs, who create space for Daizen Maeda and Ritsu Doan to shine, causing major problems for the opposition’s high press. Brazil have regained their attacking brilliance at the 2026 World Cup. With Vinícius Jr. as their main attacking star, they have managed to break down opposing defenses by dominating possession and pressing their opponents high up the pitch. The double pivot of Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães is key to controlling the midfield, while Gabriel and Marquinhos will be crucial in limiting Japan’s counterattacks, which are usually very efficient. What happens if Brazil win over Japan? In case Brazil secure a victory over Japan, they will immediately secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. With this, Carlo Ancelotti’s team could prove the doubters wrong, emerging once again as a top contenders again. They would face the winner of the tie between Ivory Coast and Norway on July 5. Hajime Moriyasu’s team would post its worst World Cup performance since the 2014 tournament, as it reached the Round of 16 in the previous two editions. Endrick #19 of Brazil after the Haiti game. What happens if Brazil draw to Japan? If Brazil and Japan draw after 90 minutes, they would have to determine the winner of the tie in extra time. Therefore, they would play two 15-minute periods. In case there is still no winner, the match would go to a penalty shootout, where the winner would be decided and would face Ivory Coast or Norway on July 5. What happens if Brazil lose to Japan? A defeat for Brazil against Japan would eliminate them immediately from the 2026 World Cup. With this, Carlo Ancelotti’s team would produce their worst performance in recent years, as from 2006 through 2022 they reached at least the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Hajime Moriyasu’s team would match the performance of their previous two editions. In addition, they would have the chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
World Cup goals for Celtic's Trusty & Maeda
Celtic pair Auston Trusty and Daizen Maeda were on target at the World Cup as USA and Japan look forward to the round of 32. Centre-half Trusty scored his first international goal when he fired the co-hosts in front against Turkey after just two minutes, but the eliminated Turks restored some pride, scoring in stoppage time to win 3-2. Trusty, who started at left-back in Los Angeles, was carried off after going over on his ankle late in the game, but, with the USA having used all of their substitutes, was able to return.



