Celtic have agreed a £10m deal with Ipswich Town to sell forward Daizen Maeda, according to the Daily Record.

The Glasgow giants secured a fifth consecutive Scottish Premiership title last season, beating Hearts 1-0 on the final day of the season to overtake them in the table, and are now planning a major squad rebuild to be able to go again.

That means a number of first-team stars are expected to leave despite being key to their recent success, and the first exit has now been agreed to kickstart that chain of events.

Celtic Agree £10m Maeda Deal

Maeda, who has been described as ‘sensational’ by Martin O’Neill, enjoyed a fine campaign in 2025/26 with 17 goals in all competitions, but he has been keen to make a move away from Celtic Park this summer for a new challenge, having spent four-and-a-half years with the club.

Now it has emerged that Premier League new boys Ipswich Town have agreed a deal worth £10m to sign the Japan international and take him to England.

The deal is worth an initial £8m plus a further £2m in add-ons for the 28-year-old, with the player now not expected to return to Celtic for pre-season after being given extra time off following his World Cup exploits.

Ipswich are currently in Spain on a warm-weather training camp for pre-season, and any deal is not expected to be completed until they return. However, Maeda is now scheduled to undergo a medical later this week.

The Japanese forward was close to a move away to the Bundesliga last summer before a deal collapsed, and he has made it clear that he wishes to play in England’s top-flight, describing it as ‘the best league in the world’.

Celtic Starting a New Era

O’Neill has been given a one-year contract in order to oversee the rebuild in Glasgow this summer, and he will take the team into a new era following his league title win.

Without Maeda, and strong interest in players like Benjamin Nygren and Arne Engels, the club will need to be busy in the transfer market to see off a resurgent Rangers side and a hungry Hearts team, to ensure the squad isn’t weakened, and that any exits are of an adequate level.

After 79 goals in 212 games, plus five Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups, Maeda’s time at the club is now over, and Celtic must use those funds to bring in some top talent.

Leandro Paredes has broken his silence after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat against Spain. The midfielder was involved in several heated altercations following the full-time whistle.

Ferran Torres netted a 106th-minute winner as La Roja added a second star to their badge, as 10-man Argentina struggled to ever threaten the opposition.

Enzo Fernandez’s red card in the 93rd minute appeared to be the spark that led to tensions boiling over. Immediately after the full-time whistle, Dani Olmo was punched by an Argentine member of staff, Nicolas Otamendi confronted Rodri and Paredes grabbed and threw Gavi to the ground.

The Boca Juniors midfielder appeared to be at the centre of the post-match meltdown. He’s now posted his first words after the defeat.

Leandro Paredes Breaks Silence After World Cup Final

Jeenah Moon/Reuters

It was initially believed and reported that Paredes had been shown a red card among the chaotic scenes after the game had ended. However, FIFA has since confirmed to BBC Sport that the 32-year-old was never actually sent off.

The governing body has since ‘deleted’ the red card from his record, after it was incorrectly noted. While he hasn’t received any punishment at the time of writing, Paredes could still be in hot water as FIFA have opened an investigation into Argentina’s behaviour after the final.

Paredes has since taken to social media to post a lengthy statement, although he opted not to address the controversy. He stated: “THANK YOU, ARGENTINA!!! I LOVE YOU, TODAY AND ALWAYS.

“Today, I write with a heavy heart, having been unable to bring our country the joy it so richly deserves – but with a chest full of pride for having given everything we had and for flying our flag at the very top once again!

FIFA Told to Ban Paredes From the Next World Cup

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

Paredes will be 36 years old when the 2030 World Cup rolls around. Therefore, his chances of being selected are quite slim. Nonetheless, former England striker Gabby Agbonlahor has called on FIFA to take drastic action and ban him from the event anyway.

Labelling the ex-PSG midfielder ‘a coward’, Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT: “No matter what happens in football, you can be angry you lost, but be classy in defeat. If you want to fight Paredes, there are places to fight – not on the pitch against Garcia.

Aston Villa have tabled a formal offer to sign Chelsea star Alejandro Garnacho, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Villans are in the market to strengthen their squad this summer after qualifying for the Champions League, with Unai Emery desperate to ensure they can be competitive in all competitions.

The forward areas have emerged as a key area that they want to bolster following the departures of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott, plus Evann Guessand having no future at the club, and now they have identified their top target.

Aston Villa Make Bid for Garnacho

Garnacho, who has been described as ‘phenomenal’, is expected to leave Chelsea less than 12 months after arriving from Manchester United, after struggling in his debut campaign with the club following a £40m move.

The Argentina international was allowed to skip the start of pre-season as the Blues look to sort his future, with Serie A side Roma showing a strong interest. But Roma have prioritised a move to sign Crysencio Summerville from West Ham instead, and now Villa are making a push for Garnacho.

Villa have now tabled an initial loan bid with a buy clause to seal a deal for the 22-year-old, with Unai Emery approving the deal as he views the forward as a target.

It’s understood that Garnacho is open to making the move to Villa Park this summer, and discussions are ongoing between the player, Aston Villa, and his representatives over personal terms.

Chelsea are very open to letting the winger leave, but they want around £50m to sanction an exit. The exact terms of Villa’s offer remain unclear, but they are pushing to get a deal done in the coming days.