Daizen Maeda joins Ipswich Town, the club's first Japanese player, for his Premier League bow

From Celtic to Ipswich

Newly promoted Ipswich Town announced on July 25 the permanent signing of Japan forward Daizen Maeda (28) from Celtic on a three-year deal through the summer of 2029. Maeda is the first Japanese player in the club's history. Sky Sports reported a fee of around £8m, rising to as much as £10m with add-ons. "A dream has come true," Maeda said, adding that he would give everything to the club. It is his first Premier League challenge at 28.

212 games built at Celtic

Maeda joined Celtic from Yokohama F. Marinos in January 2022 and made the move permanent that summer. He went on to score 79 goals in 212 competitive appearances, winning multiple major trophies and being named Scotland's PFA Player of the Year for 2024-25. A relentless runner and front-line presser, he now leaves Scotland's dominant club for the English top flight.

World Cup form pulled the Premier League closer

Ipswich's push for Maeda was shaped by his showing at this summer's North American World Cup; local outlets such as the Suffolk News and the Scotsman reported that his national-team form heightened the club's interest. A move was floated last summer but did not come together; a year on, a promoted Premier League side became the destination. Some Celtic voices have questioned the fee, but the club agreed to the deal.

The Japanese market is still moving

With the tournament over, transfers involving Japan internationals continue. English and German outlets report Liverpool's interest in Mainz's Kaishu Sano, but that remains at the negotiation stage with no official announcement. As a confirmed move, Maeda's step up to the Premier League marks one clear marker in this summer's Japanese transfer activity.