---
title: "Southampton: Daizen Maeda to be scouted"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/southampton-daizen-maeda-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2023-01-08T13:15:24Z"
modified: "2023-01-08T13:15:24Z"
---

# Southampton: Daizen Maeda to be scouted

**[Southampton](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/southampton-fc-transfer-rumours/) are now set for a scouting mission to assess Celtic forward Daizen Maeda, according to reports from Scotland.**

### The Lowdown: Southampton targeting forwards

With the Saints currently rooted to the [bottom](https://www.premierleague.com/tables) of the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) table, sitting three points from safety, [Nathan Jones](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/nathan-jones/) has identified the need for some new attacking options at St Mary’s.

The manager has already completed the signing of winger Mislav Orsic, who joined in an [£8m](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64188095) deal on Friday, and the south coast club are also said to be [leading](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/southampton-fc-news/southampton-chuba-akpom-transfer-rumours-update/) the race to sign Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom.

### The Latest: Maeda scouting mission

According to a report from [Football Scotland](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/southampton-daizen-maeda-celtic-scouting-25915598), Southampton have a shortlist of players that they are monitoring in Scotland, and club scouts are set to travel north in order to watch Maeda in the Scottish League Cup semi-final for Celtic against Kilmarnock next Saturday.

The scouting team is set to watch a number of different matches over the coming days, but the Japanese attacker is particularly high on their list of priorities.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”419212″\]

### The Verdict: Get it done?

The 25-year-old is [capable](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daizen-maeda/profil/spieler/420931) of playing both on the left and in a central role in attack, making him a versatile option for Jones. He boasts a solid goal record in his club career so far, scoring [67](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daizen-maeda/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/420931) times in 236 games, including 14 in 49 appearances for Celtic.

At the World Cup, the Japan international’s talent was on show against eventual bronze medalists Croatia, [scoring](https://www.sofascore.com/japan-croatia/pUbsvVb) the opening goal of their round-of-16 clash before his team went out in cruel fashion, losing after a penalty shoot-out.

Following that match, Maeda was the subject of praise from Rio Ferdinand, who [described](https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/sport/football/rio-ferdinand-shocked-daizen-maeda-25678754) him as an ‘absolute livewire’.

He seems like exactly the sort of player that the Saints need if they want to start crafting more opportunities, given that they didn’t register a [single shot on target](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64106273) in their midweek defeat against Nottingham Forest.