Tottenham are showing interest in Celtic striker Daizen Maeda ahead of the January window as Ange Postecoglou could plot a reunion.
According to Team Talk, Tottenham have an interest in Celtic forward Daizen Maeda. The £25 million rated striker’s versatility is a big reason for the north Londoner’s admiration, as Ange Postecoglou could plot a January reunion with the Japan international.
It’s not very uncommon for managers to look at former clubs for a few known players, and in Tottenham’s case, Ange Postecoglou could do just that. Spurs are reportedly keen to sign Daizen Maeda from Celtic, as they could look for a new striker in the next window.
Spurs may have wanted a new striker to replace Harry Kane and provide competition to Richarlison. While they managed to sign Brennan Johnson on deadline day, the Welsh star is not necessarily a centre-forward. Neither is Maeda, but he can play in the position rather efficiently and could suit Tottenham’s style.
More than his numbers in the role, which, for Celtic, stands at 19 goals and 13 assists in 79 games, Maeda’s off-the-ball attributes make him an interesting option. Postecoglou has developed a style at the club that requires players with engine and intense pressing, something the £25 million rated striker can provide.
Celtic, for their part, will likely accept an offer that came close to the sale of Jota to Al-Ittihad in the summer. Hence, the £25 million price point seems relevant for the Scottish champions. More than anything, Maeda is a player that Postecoglou knows well, having worked with him considerably during his spell in Glasgow.
Whether they are willing to pay up for the £25 million rated striker remains the question, but they surely need someone in that position. During the summer, Tottenham had links to numerous names to fill the gap left by Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich.
Porto star Mehdi Taremi seemed like an option, but none of the interested clubs, including Tottenham, pursued the Iranian with much vigour. As per reports, Spurs favour a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who will return from his ban in January.
The English striker’s £80 million price point could become a place of bother for Spurs or any other suitor. Secondly, how he fares after a long time without competitive football raises a few questions, which makes a move in January a bit dicey.
There was also Gift Orban, with Gent valuing the striker at around £40 million. Again, the price point for the forward may have caused Tottenham to overthink about signing him, but eventually, they moved away from those links.
Now, Maeda could become an interesting choice for Spurs to ponder about. Postecoglou knows the player and his qualities well, so bringing him will not seem like a risk. If the price is a problem, then Tottenham might negotiate it down to a reasonable number. The only visible stumbling block will come in the form of his goalscoring numbers and the ability to adapt to the Premier League.
