Ipswich Town have signed Japan forward Daizen Maeda from Celtic on a three-year contract for a reported £10 million fee, making him the first Japanese player in the club's history (BBC Sport).

The 28-year-old completed a medical before finalising the move on 25 July 2026, ending a four-and-a-half-year stay in Glasgow. Celtic published their official farewell on the same day, confirming his departure (Celtic FC).

Maeda leaves Celtic with a formidable record: 79 goals in 212 appearances, plus five Scottish league titles, three Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups. He was also part of Japan's squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Japan reached the last 32 before Brazil knocked them out.

For Ipswich, the signing caps a busy summer window as they prepare for life back in the Premier League. The club finished second in the Championship — English football's second tier — last season under Kieran McKenna, earning automatic promotion. McKenna departed in the summer of 2026, and Gary O'Neil now leads the team.

O'Neil has not been idle. Maeda joins a string of new arrivals at Portman Road: defender Issa Diop, winger Abdul Fatawu, striker Emersonn and goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen have all signed on. Defender Cedric Kipre and forward Chuba Akpom have also converted their loan spells into permanent deals, giving Ipswich a near-complete rebuild ahead of the top-flight return.

What makes the Maeda deal interesting is the profile. He is a pressing forward — a player whose first instinct is to chase defenders and force mistakes rather than simply wait for service. That work ethic made him a favourite at Celtic Park, and it is exactly the kind of energy a newly promoted side needs to survive against stronger, wealthier opponents. Maeda also carries international pedigree and recent World Cup experience, which matters in a dressing room adjusting to a new manager and a higher level of opposition.

For Celtic, the departure frees up funds and creates space in a squad that has dominated Scottish football for years. For Maeda, it is a first taste of English football at 28 — a late-career move to a league that rewards pace and intensity, two qualities he has never lacked.

Ipswich fans will hope that combination translates quickly. The Premier League does not give new arrivals much time to settle.