CELTIC hero Daizen Maeda has penned an emotional tribute to the Glasgow club's fans after sealing a move to newly-promoted Premier League side, Ipswich Town.
The 28-year-old scored 79 goals in 212 appearances for Celtic after initially arriving on loan from Yokohama F Marinos in January 2022.
Meanwhile, the Hoops have reportedly lined up 25-year-old Danish striker Kasper Høgh from Bodo/Glimt to bolster their frontline, having already signed Camilo Durán from Qarabag.
'Honour to wear this badge'
Pacy forward Maeda has been a fan favourite at Celtic since his arrival under Ange Postecoglou and had his best season for the Hoops in 2024-25 when he scored 33 goals.
That led to the player being linked with a move away from Celtic Park but a transfer failed to materialise last summer and Maeda's form dipped for much of last season.
He managed just eight goals in 47 games up to April 11, a period that included a run of just one goal in 22 games.
However, he scored 10 vital goals in the final seven games as the Hoops sealed an unlikely league and cup double, taking the player's trophy haul at Celtic to 10.
He also impressed for Japan at the World Cup this summer, scoring in the 1-1 draw with Sweden in the group stages.
In a statement on Instagram, Maeda described his four-and-a-half years at Celtic as 'the most special chapter of my career and my life'.
"It has been an incredible honour to wear this badge, to play for this amazing club, and to share so many unforgettable moments with my teammates, the staff, and the best supporters in the world," he added.
"Thank you for standing by me through every high and low. Your incredible support gave me strength every single day, and I will always be grateful.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in Glasgow who welcomed and supported my wife and children.
"Because of your kindness and generosity, my family was able to enjoy an unforgettable time here. Glasgow will always hold a very special place in our hearts and will forever be our second home.
"My son loves Celtic so much that he already says he wants to wear the Celtic shirt and play at Celtic Park one day.
"I truly hope that dream comes true, and I hope our family will be back here again someday.
"Thank you to everyone connected with Celtic for everything. Hail Hail."
Forward line changes
Maeda follows striker Kelechi Iheanacho in exiting Celtic this summer, with the Nigerian striker opting to join Turkish second-tier side Bursapsor rather than sign a new contract with the Hoops.
The fee for Maeda is reported to be between £8-10m, which looks set to be used to bring Høgh to Glasgow.
Sky Sports News reports Celtic are set to fork out a club-record £11m for the Dane, who was the joint-top scorer in the 2024-25 Europa League.
He has scored 54 goals in 103 appearances for Bodo/Glimt, with whom he has won the Norwegian league and cup.
Høgh made his international debut earlier this year and has since scored once in four appearances for Denmark.
Meanwhile, Durán continued his fine start to life at Celtic with a goal and an assist in Saturday's 2-2 draw with AC Milan following a switch from Qarabag for a reported £5.5m.
It was the Columbian's third goal in as many preseason games for the Hoops after also finding the net in a 4-1 loss to Porto and a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.
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