“This a good team but I need to…” —Rangers nightmare Daizen Maeda has indirectly admits he may be LEAVING Parkhead after what he had just said about his future at the club left Celtic fans Speechless!’

Nobody has enjoyed a more outstanding season in a Celtic jersey than Daizen Maeda.

33 goals and a clean sweep at Celtic’s awards ceremony have been followed by Maeda receiving the SFWA Player of the Year accolade.

Maeda has reached new heights and will collect his eighth piece of silverware in just over three-and-a-half years when the Bhoys lift the Scottish Premiership trophy against St Mirren.

His £1.7m switch from Yokohama Marinos will be remembered as one of the smartest transfers in Celtic’s history.

It’s hardly surprising to see Premier League sides showing interest in Maeda, and the Japan international seems to have provided a hint about whether he will remain at Celtic Park next season.

Daizen Maeda refuses to rule out summer departure from Celtic:

Brendan Rodgers is eager to secure Maeda on a new contract in the near future. The 27-year-old’s existing agreement expires in June 2027 and attention in his talent is naturally increasing.

Celtic hope to retain their top talents, but Maeda confessed he isn’t in a rush to commit to a new deal just yet and might wait to explore potential opportunities.

Speaking at the awards, he said: “This is a world where you never know what’s going to happen next.

“This a good team but I need to think about what comes next with my family and everything. Now my focus is on this team.

“I’m not thinking a lot right now because there’s still a game to play. I’m thinking about how I spend my day off, so we’ll just get the games done, then let’s see what happens.”

Daizen Maeda didn’t always dream of becoming a footballer:

Without Maeda, Celtic’s attack would definitely have looked less potent this season.

They’ve scored 111 goals in the league, and Maeda is one of three Celtic players to net 20 or more this term. But things could’ve gone a completely different way had he stuck with his initial ambition of becoming a gymnast.

“I practised it a lot,” the forward revealed. “I would look at the Olympics and think I wanted to be there. I wanted to participate in the Olympics.

“That’s why I was practising so much. It was on the floor and the one with the bars.

“I still don’t think that football is better! I just realised that now I’m a football player. I think the experience in my childhood helps me to move the body better.”