Celtic maintained their perfect start to the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership season with a convincing and comfortable 3-0 win in the first Old Firm clash of the campaign.
Brendan Rodgers brought Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn back into the starting XI for the Hoops and the former, in particular, enjoyed an impressive afternoon.
The Japan international was unfortunate to have an early goal ruled out due to a toenail offside decision on Kuhn in the build-up but did eventually get his name on the scoresheet for the second goal, firing in past Jack Butland with a clever, driven, effort from 25 yards.
Daizen Maeda and Callum McGregor scored either side of that long-distance strike from the former Vissel Kobe marksman, who had not scored in the league prior to Sunday's clash.
The dominant win over Rangers also came less than 48 hours after a busy deadline day for the Premiership champions, who added three new players to their squad.
Arne Engels was brought in from Bundesliga side Augsburg, central defender Auston Trusty was signed from Sheffield United, and midfielder Luke McCowan was snapped up from fellow Scottish outfit Dundee.
How much Celtic paid for Luke McCowan
Rodgers moved to improve his options in the middle of the park on deadline day and made a late swoop to bring in the left-footed star for a reported fee of just £1m.
That could end up being a bargain for the Scottish giants if he is able to translate his superb form for Dundee over the last 13 months or so over to his spell at Parkhead.
He had started the current campaign in impressive fashion with a return of two goals and one assist in three Premiership outings, to go along with 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game.
The 26-year-old midfielder, who made his debut off the bench in the 3-0 win over Rangers, had also outperformed a number of Celtic players in his position as an attacking presence last season.
Appearances
37
35
16
22
Goals
10
2
3
3
Assists
5
6
4
3
Big chances created
9
7
3
4
Key passes per game
1.6
1.4
1.1
0.5
As you can see in the table above, McCowan was directly involved in 15 goals for Dundee – at least seven more than McGregor, Hatate, or Bernardo managed.
This suggests that the Scottish gem has the potential to provide a huge threat in the final third for the Hoops if he can hit the ground running and showcase the best of his abilities in Glasgow this term.
McCowan was a boyhood Celtic supporter and that meant it was a lovely moment when he got to make his debut as a substitute in the Old Firm.
Celtic will be hoping to hit the jackpot with the £1m signing of the midfielder, just like Ange Postecoglou did with the bargain signing of Maeda, who starred on Sunday and is currently worth more than McCowan.
How much Celtic paid for Daizen Maeda
Postecoglou swooped to sign the Japan international from Yokohama F. M. on an initial loan deal for the season half of the 2021/22 season.
Maeda hit the ground running in Glasgow with a return of seven goals and one assist in 17 appearances in all competitions, as the Hoops won the Premiership title.
The Scottish giants then reportedly splashed out a fee of just £1.6m to sign the forward on a permanent basis ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
In his first full season with the Premiership giants, Maeda racked up an eye-catching 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions for Postecoglou's side.
Appearances
35
Goals
8
Big chances created
6
Assists
5
Key passes per game
0.8
As you can see in the table above, 13 of those goal contributions came in the Scottish top-flight, which shows that he provided a decent threat in the final third.
The 26-year-old attacker showcased his ability to score and create goals from a left wing position, using his relentless work rate and lightning-quick pace to cause constant problems for opposition defenders.
He continued to provide a strong presence at the top end of the pitch for Rodgers last season and his current market valuation is a reflection of the blinder Postecoglou played and the value the gem provides on the pitch.
Daizen Maeda's current market value
At the time of writing (03/09/2024), Transfermarkt places the Japanese winger's current market value at €7m (£5.9m), and that is significantly higher than the £1.6m they paid for him just over two years ago.
This shows that Postecoglou hit the jackpot when he swooped to sign the attacker back in 2022, who is now worth £4.9m more than the £1m signing of McCowan this summer.
Maeda did not enjoy his best season in front of goal for the Hoops last term under Rodgers but did still contribute with six goals and three assists in 28 Premiership matches.
The Japan international brings more than just goals and assists to the table, however, as the Northern Irish head coach claimed that he has the "work rate of two players" on the pitch.
He has also enjoyed a terrific start to the current campaign for the Premiership champions, with a return of three goals and two assists in four appearances in all competitions, with all five of those contributions coming in the last three games.
The Celtic star, who was once hailed as "immense" by Postecoglou, caught the eye with his exceptional display in the Old Firm clash on Sunday.
Maeda opened the scoring from Alistair Johnston's cut-back as he was on his toes and able to anticipate the cross to get to the ball before James Tavernier and then had the composure to find the back of the net.
The winger also assisted the third goal for McGregor with a pass to his captain, who then rocketed a strike into the far corner from distance in the second half.
Celtic are being rinsed by a player who earns 2x more than Scales
The Hoops appear to have blundered by signing the central defender last summer.
1 ByDan EmerySep 3, 2024
