Celtic’s win over Hearts was Jeffrey Schlupp’s 11th game in the green and white Hoops.
In that time, the Crystal Palace man has the chance to bond with his new teammates as Schlupp gets up to speed as to what Celtic is all about.
Having played alongside some of the best players in the English Premier League, the Ghanaian has been left impressed with one Celtic first-team player whom Schlupp has likened to ex-Leicester teammate Jamie Vardy.
And after Celtic’s win over Hearts yesterday, the Hoops fullback was full of praise for Daizen Maeda after he notched his 30th goal of the season.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Jeffrey Schlupp says Celtic hero Daizen Maeda is ‘quality’
Schlupp told Celtic TV [2m 4s], “He’s class. He just makes a lot of things easier for us really.
“Sometimes when you’re in a bit of trouble you can put a ball in an area and he’s going to get on to it which is always great to know you’ve got someone like that on the team.
“Especially when he’s got quality as well to again put the ball in there and get assists and stuff which is great for us, especially when we like to obviously pass the and then having that threat at the top as well when the opportunity is right to play those balls in behind you know he’s going to go on to it and put it in the net which is great for us.”
Daizen Maeda is Celtic’s version of Leceister City legend Jamie Vardy
Asked if Maeda reminds him of his former Leicester City teammate, Schlupp admits that the Celtic hero is ‘the same’ kind of player as the former Premier League winner.
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Schlupp continued, “He’s very, very similar to Jamie, yeah. Obviously, when he does play up front again, the same with Vards, he’s another one, a workhorse who can make an average ball into a great ball which is what Daizen does.
“He’s been on fire obviously, he can keep it up and keep it going for us and then can keep scoring some more goals.”
Maeda is now on course to possibly hit 40 goals this season for Celtic. With eight SPFL fixtures to go and possibly two Scottish Cup fixtures, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the Japanese winger can achieve this feat.
For now, St Johnstone beckons as Brendan Rodgers looks to tie up the league title win as soon as possible and hope that Maeda is on form in Perth to secure Celtic’s fourth title in a row.