Celtic have hit gold with star who’s now worth £8m more than Balikwisha

It is far from a secret that Celtic are in the market to add to their options in the wide areas before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

The Hoops lost Portuguese forward Jota to a long-term knee injury in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he is not going to be available in the opening months of next season.

Losing the forward, who arrived on a permanent deal from Rennes for a second spell at Parkhead in January, came as a blow to Brendan Rodgers, because he had hit the ground running upon his return to Glasgow.

Jota produced four goals and two assists in 11 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, despite only starting seven of those matches, in the second half of the season, before his injury.

Celtic are now in the market to bring in a left winger who can plug the gap that his injury has created, whilst also having the potential to compete with him for a starting berth in the future.

One left-sided attacker who has emerged as a reported target for the Scottish giants this summer is Royal Antwerp star Michel-ange Balikwisha.

The latest on Celtic’s pursuit of Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently reported that the Hoops are in talks with the 24-year-old wide man over the possibility of a move to Glasgow in the coming weeks.

The journalist claimed that talks are already underway and that the right-footed wing wizard is keen on securing a transfer to Parkhead before the end of the window.

Tavolieri did not mention how much money it would take for Royal Antwerp to part ways with their star forward, but The Scottish Sun revealed, in April, that he is valued at £5m by the Pro League outfit.

Balikwisha’s performances in the Pro League in the last two seasons suggest that the potential is there for him to be a value-for-money signing at £5m for the Hoops, as he has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target has racked up 11 goals and eight assists in 39 starts in the division, outperforming his xG in both campaigns, which speaks to his efficiency in front of goal.

These statistics suggest that he could replace the goals and assists that the Hoops have lost through Jota’s injury, if he can translate his performances over to the Premiership at Parkhead.

At the age of 24, Balikwisha would also arrive in Scotland as a player who could have his best years ahead of him, with time to develop and grow, and this could make him an interesting long-term addition, as well as a player who could replace Jota in the short-term.

A fee of £5m would be a decent outlay for the winger, but the Hoops already have a number of forwards who are worth significantly more than that, including Japanese forward Daizen Maeda.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Dazien Maeda

The Scottish giants initially signed the Japan international on loan from Yokohama F. Marinos in the January transfer window at the start of 2022, before they snapped him up on a permanent basis that summer.

Their decision to sign him permanently has turned out to be a blinder because the versatile attacker has gone to become an incredibly valuable player, both in terms of his market value and his value to Rodgers and the team.

Maeda has racked up 62 goals and 28 assists in 158 appearances for the Hoops to date, and remains a regular starter in the attack after three-and-a-half-years in Glasgow. This shows that he has provided consistent quality as a threat at the top end of the pitch during his time in Scotland so far.

His form in the 2024/25 campaign was particularly impressive. The 27-year-old star ended the season with an eye-catching haul of 33 goals and 12 assists in 51 appearances for Rodgers’ side, whilst playing as a left winger and as a centre-forward.

Maeda’s sublime form in the top-flight earned him the Premiership Player of the Year award, which shows that he was deemed to be the best player in the entire division.

The Japanese speedster’s market value has soared as a result of his fantastic performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants, so much so to the point that he is now worth around £8m more than reported target Balikwisha.

As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has soared by a whopping £11.5m throughout his time in Scotland, to the point where he is now worth £13m, as per Transfermarkt.

He is the most valuable player in the Celtic squad, ahead of the likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, and Reo Hatate, which speaks to how impressive his valuation of £13m is.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with the Japanese marksman, who has been the subject of reported interest from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, because they struck gold by signing him when he was valued at just £1.5m.

The forward has developed into the most valuable member of the squad, and the most prolific after a haul of 33 goals this season, as illustrated by him being worth a whopping £8m more than reported target Balikwisha.

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Hopefully, the Scottish giants will be able to retain his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and he will continue to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.