Reliable Celtic reporter Kieran Devlin has answered a question on rumours linking Yokohama F. Marinos forward Daizen Maeda with a move to Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Celtic confident…

A report earlier this month from The Times suggested that the Hoops are confident of securing the 24-year-old's services in the January transfer window.

Maeda currently plies his trade with Ange Postecoglou’s former employers and is under contract until 2024, but well-placed Japanese sources expect a move to Scotland to go through.

He netted 18 times and registered three assists in 31 J1 League appearances last season, and Devlin has now weighed in with what he knows about a potential move.

The Latest: Devlin’s response…

The journalist conducted a Q&A on The Athletic on Saturday morning ahead of Celtic’s clash with Livingston.

He was asked about the links to Maeda, to which he replied: “They are credible, yes. Unless something dramatic happens that will need addressing, Monday's article will be a tactical profile of Maeda and how he might fit in at Celtic.”

Devlin then went on to label Maeda as a possible ‘upgrade’ on a player like Liel Abada and hailed the Japan international's 'very quick, great movement', describing him as a 'tireless worker off the ball'.

The Verdict: Over to Nicholson…

Celtic appear to be confident of bringing Maeda to Glasgow in the New Year, so it looks as if it’ll be over to interim CEO Michael Nicholson to get a deal over the line, with the club having no director of football or head of recruitment in place.

Following Saturday’s performance, with a front three of Giorgos Giakoumakis, Jota and Abada firing blanks against Livingston, a move for the 24-year-old appears to be even more important.

The Hoops can’t rely on Furuhashi in every single game, so adding Maeda - who can play centrally or out wide and has an impressive goalscoring record in the last 12 months - could be a wise move.

In other news: 'People I speak to' - Devlin shares 'incredibly odd' Celtic situation Ange now needs to resolve.