Chris Sutton identifies a single attribute of Daizen Maeda at Celtic that surpasses even Henrik Larsson. Celtic has been fortunate to have had some exceptional goal scorers represent the club over the years and decades.
Henrik Larsson, the King of Kings, is the individual who immediately comes to mind as one of the finest players in Celtic’s history. After arriving in Glasgow in 1997 with those magnificent dreadlocks, that fresh-faced Swedish superstar went on to become one of the greatest players Scotland has ever seen. In the present day, the current stars are striving to inscribe their names into those legendary volumes,
with Daizen Maeda at the forefront of this effort. Maeda has achieved his most impressive season to date, and his performance is certain to earn him the Player of the Year award. Chris Sutton acknowledges that Daizen Maeda was a “surprise” at Celtic. Maeda has tallied 28 goals in all competitions, including four in the Champions League. Only Larsson has scored as many during a single European campaign for the club.
Chris Sutton believes that Maeda is unrivalled in one respect, despite the fact that Larsson’s legacy will never be surpassed by the Japan sensation.Sutton believes that Maeda is the most adept player at pressing opponents he has encountered in his time of observing football, surpassing even Larsson himself. This was stated in an interview with Sky Sports Football on March 16, 2025, at 12 p.m.
“I believe he is the Maeda Player of the Year; however, I believe Nicolas Kuhn was the winner earlier in the season,” stated Sutton. “However, he has demonstrated his adaptability by transitioning to the position of a centre forward.” We were aware that he was capable of fulfilling that duty upon his arrival at Celtic; however, his performance has been extraordinary.
He has pleasantly surprised me. It was intriguing to listen to the interview; he was discussing the significance of closing down over goals and assists. “Do you know what?” In my professional life, I have spent a significant amount of time watching football. In my opinion, Daizen Maeda is unparalleled in his ability to silence opponents.
His intensity is unparalleled, and the intelligence and purpose that he possesses are not present in many players. “Under Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou, I believe that his game intelligence and awareness have significantly improved in the past few seasons.” I believe that his link-up play has significantly improved. “He has consistently demonstrated his value to Celtic, whether as a left-sided, right-sided, or current center-forward.
“The supporters’ response to Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure from Celtic in January was unfavourable due to his lack of replacement. However, Celtic or Brendan Rodgers have not missed him, and Maeda has played a significant role in this. He has scored 28 goals thus far, and there are still numerous league games and the pursuit of the Treble remaining.
Consequently, he has the potential to achieve even greater figures. Tournament Apps Goals Contribute to MotM Rating Premiership 23(4) 13 7 3 7.25 Champions League 9 4 – – 6.57 League Cup 3 6 – – – FA Cup 2 5 – – – Total / Average 7 3 7.08 42 28
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