Celtic are considering a £2.5m promotion bid for Maeda

Celtic Divert their attention away from Scottish Premier League This weekend as they prepare to host Kilmarnock at Parkhead in their first SFA Cup match of the season.

The Hoops won the competition thanks to a last-minute goal from Adam Idah, beating Rangers at Hampden Park at the end of the 2023/24 season, and are looking to retain their title.

Brendan RodgersOf course, the team have already won the other domestic cup this season, beating their Glasgow rivals on penalties at the National Stadium in the League Cup final last month.

The Bhoys are too 13 clear points At the top of the Premier League table they are on their way to winning the Scottish Premiership for the fourth season in a row.

So, there is a lot to be happy about Rodgers regarding his team's performance this season, but that has not stopped him from wanting to dive into the market to make additions to his squad.

The January transfer window doesn't end until the start of next month, and the Scottish giants are said to be looking to bolster their options in wide areas before the deadline expires.

Celtic are looking to sign a new winger

According to the Daily Record newspaperCeltic are one of the clubs interested in signing PK Hacken striker Zidane Inosa this month, as they look for a new winger to improve the squad.

The report claims that French club Saint-Etienne are also interested in the Swedish youngster and have sent scouts to watch him play in his homeland this season.

He adds that the Hoops have also sent scouts to monitor the 22-year-old striker regularly in recent weeks, to gather information on his performance to help them decide whether or not to act on their interest in him.

The Daily Record report that Rodgers has made signing a new left-winger a priority for the January transfer window, as he wants to compete for Daizen Maeda and resolve uncertainty over Luis Palma's long-term future at Parkhead.

The outlet claims that Celtic are now considering a bid to sign the right-footed player to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, just as they did last January when they swooped to sign Nicholas Kuhn from Rapid Vienna.

It has not been revealed how much Hacken will demand to play for the Sweden Under-21s, but the young gem is. Worth 3 million euros (£2.5m) from Transfermarkt, which may help give a rough figure as to what Celtic may have to spend to secure his signature before the end of the window.

Any left winger who arrives at Parkhead this month will have to compete with Maeda to secure a starting place in the team, so what do they have to compete against?

Daizen Maeda's level this season

The Japan international is exhausted 14 goals and six assists He has made 29 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring six goals and one assist in three League Cup appearances.

Maeda has been a threat as a scorer and assister in all competitions for the Scottish giants, but his form in the Premier League has been far from perfect down the left flank.

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old winger has averaged a goal or an assist every other game, but his finishing has been less than impressive.

The Japanese striker has missed 12 'big chances' in front of goal and has scored just five goals in the Premier League, suggesting he is not making the most of the good chances his teammates create for him on a regular basis.

These stats suggest there is scope for the Hoops to find a player who can offer more than Maeda, especially in the league, in the final third.

Why should Celtic sign Inosa?

The Scottish giants should swoop to sign Inusa before the end of the January transfer window as he has the potential to be an upgrade on the Japanese international on the left wing, and could be a dream signing for Kyogo Furuhashi.

He has produced number eight at Celtic Ten goals in 15 matches In the Premier League this season, which is a strong return, but he also missed an astonishing 17 “big chances” in front of goal.

Kyogo is not a decisive striker who will score every chance he gets. However, he is a striker whose movement constantly puts him in great positions for his teammates to find in the final third, which is why he might like to play with Inosa, who has the quality to find him.

At the 2023 Swedish Championship, the 22-year-old He scored five goals He created four “big chances” in ten matches for Haken, and followed that up with more strong performances in 2024.

As you can see in the table above, Inoussa has the potential to come as an upgrade over Maeda by being more aggressive in front of goal as a striker and by creating chances for his teammates more frequently.

The Sweden Under-21 international has produced 11 goals and created ten 'big chances' in his last 32 league appearances for Hacken, while Maeda has scored 11 goals and created ten 'big chances' in his last outing. 48 league matches For Celtic.

Therefore, Kyogo could benefit from playing with Inusa on the left flank, instead of Maeda, as this could lead to more 'big chances' falling his way inside the box.

Signing the Hakken star will provide the Japanese winger with serious competition for his place in the team and ensure there is no complacency during the second half of the season, which could also help the club in their quest for more trophies this season.