When Celtic related news emerges in Japan there is one trusted source that fans turn to.Â
Rather than try to interpret through Google Translate the thoughts of Dan Orlowitz will do for most Celtic fans, he was on the ball with developments around Ange Postecoglou with his predictions about the Australian very close to the money.Â
As his tweets demonstrate Orlowitz doesn’t claim to be on the inside breaking transfer news but he can read the signs, form an opinion on the likelihood of a story having substance rather than the flier type tales often surfacing in the Scottish and English media.Â
Around 9pm Celtic Park Time on Wednesday a few alerts started to appear that Celtic’s move for Daizen Maeda had moved forward.Â
It seems almost certain that a loan to buy deal will go through early next week with a fee reported to be between 200-280 million yen. That seems to come in at between £1.2-2m which appears to be exceptional value. Almost too exceptional as if there is a flaw or catch to emerge.Â
Other than scripted updates to their Mainstream Media Partners it is unlikely that Ange Postecoglou will be holding any media conferences before the build up to the home match against Hibs on January 17.Â
Until then fans will have to wait for the social media video clips of ‘Celtic being delighted to announce Daizen Maeda’ to be released.Â
Multiple Japanese outlets reporting in the last 30 minutes that Daizen Maeda is expected to join Celtic on loan with a €2m purchase option to be exercised this summer.
Based on variety of sources I’d say this is done.https://t.co/nlFDWAj45p
— x Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) December 29, 2021
(And I’m not saying that Japan’s press club culture is a *great* system, even though I am technically a part of it. But it is useful in that nobody gets left behind at the altar – big stories like this are always fed to beat writers at the same time to avoid loss of face.)
— x Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) December 29, 2021
It is a half-year loan with the expectation that the buyout option will be exercised over the summer.
Key words in stories are ??? (forecast) & ?? (assumption). Stories sound confident but I imagine we’ll get full picture when clubs announce.https://t.co/c0abGSSsTy
— x Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) December 29, 2021
Big news here and if it’s coming from Dan you can be sure it’s pretty accurate.
Could be a really exciting signing!
— The Celtic Exchange Podcast ? (@CeltExchange) December 29, 2021
Orlowitz writes for Japan Times.
It’s a gamble kyoko worked but not all players settle so quickly its a different culture weather playing in terrible rough surface but rogic could play on it so all professional can its the passing that goes astray as soon as ball goes over the bumps couple inches out means you have to take a touch that gives opposition close you down it spoils the game and maybe why teams don’t roll there park