Michel-Ange Balikwisha has Daizen Maeda to thank for Celtic return

The Celtic Star

·3 aprile 2025

Michel-Ange Balikwisha has Daizen Maeda to thank for Celtic return

Celtic are once again eyeing up a move for on-going transfer target Michel-Ange Balikwisha…

Michel-Ange Balikwisha of Royal Antwerp takes a shot whilst under pressure from Jules Kounde of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League match between FC Barcelona and Royal Antwerp at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on September 19, 2023 in Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Brendan Rodgers has made it clear that he wishes to build upon the great work achieved this year both domestically and in European competition, where the Hoops gave a good account of themselves in the new formatted UEFA Champions League group stage phase.

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Celtic got a taste for the new format in the Champions League this season

After some impressive performances and results, Rodgers and his team earned the privilege of a glamour knockout round tie against Bayern Munich, where they very nearly came back from a defeat at Celtic Park to put the German giants out in the Allianz Arena in February. Had it not been for a last-minute equaliser from Canada star Alphonso Davies the tie would have gone to extra-time and maybe penalties.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Arbnor Muja of Royal Antwerp look on prior to the UEFA Champions League match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp at Volksparkstadion on November 28, 2023 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

It was a very material ‘what if’ moment as the club’s lack of movement and planning in the transfer market once again cost us dearly, as Brendan had a threadbare bench compared to that of Vincent Kompany’s team and that’s what made all the difference in the end up.

Shifting Kyogo and not replacing him looked like a real error of judgement, as we lacked attacking reinforcements to go and kill the game at 1-0 late in the match on the counter-attack.

Daizen Maeda has been deployed through the middle

Since Kyogo left, Daizen Maeda has been deployed through the middle in the lead striking role with two wingers either side and has really flourished in that respect. A shoe-in for the Player of the Year award, the Japanese international has hit 30 goals for the season and has definitely given the manager food for thought when it comes to his transfer plans this summer, as the Irishman would be loathed to move the buzz-bomb back out wide now that he’s proven so clinical through the middle.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha during the Belgian “Pro League” First Division football match between Royal Antwerp FC and Royal Union Saint-Gilloise at Bosuil-Stadium in Antwerp on March 17, 2024. (Photo by KRISTOF VAN ACCOM/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images)

Celtic scouts watched Royal Antwerp’s defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise

Now, Scottish Sun has claimed that scouts from Celtic were in attendance for Royal Antwerp’s defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise on Saturday night, where they fell to a 5-1 defeat after going down to 10-men. The wide forward managed to claim an assist for his side’s only goal, but it is thought that he is being closely monitored again by the club with a view to bringing him to Paradise this summer transfer window.

Injury frustrated Balikwisha’s move to Celtic last summer

Balikwisha was being courted by the Scottish Champions last summer too, but a rather unfortunate injury put paid to that potential link-up and he has been working his way back to full fitness ever since, even claiming he declined the opportunity to join the Celts as he wanted to focus on his recovery at the Belgian side for the time being.

Daizen Maeda after scoring during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on March 29, 2025 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Now with a year left to run on his contract, it is thought that Celtic may be looking to secure the speedy wide man for a knockdown price. As with all transfer stories though, it should be taken with a pinch of salt until something more concrete comes to light as evidence.

However, with Celtic obviously wanting more competition in the wide areas now that Daizen has been moved centrally, there is certainly plenty of smoke to this one, as it’s clear it’s a player Brendan Rodgers has admired in the past and the Celtic manager is now on record as saying he might move for a winger rather a than a striker because of Daizen’s sensational impact as a striker.

We await patiently for signs of fire now…

Paul Gillespie

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