The Hoops boss is awaiting bids for two of his biggest assets while Benjamin Nygren's future is also uncertain
18:00, 12 Jul 2026
Celtic stars Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda
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Celtic stars Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda(Image: SNS Group)
Martin O'Neill admits he’s resigned himself to losing Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels this summer, writes Ryan McDonald in Portugal.
Japan star Maeda wants to land a dream move to the Premier League after four-and-a-half years in Glasgow. The Celtic hero - who saw a big-money switch to Wolfsburg fall through last year - is in the final year of his contract.
O’Neill says he’d love the relentless forward to see out his deal but confessed: “I think there's some resignation in that aspect. It isn't one of those where he's got a year left to run and we want to try and make something of it in the sense of getting money. It's not that at all.
“Personally speaking, I would love it if he just let his contract run through. And played for the last year. Honestly, it would be super.
"I don't know whether that's in his mind or in his agent's mind. After all the experience you've had in management, is that experience talking a little bit as well in a situation like that?
"If I throw back, not every comparison has been made, but Henrik Larsson told me a year before that that was going to be his last year.
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Martin O'Neill during a Celtic Training Session in Portugal(Image: SNS Group)
"Now, his contract was out at that stage and he was fantastic for us in the final season. But he made it clear that that's what he was going to do. He had his time.
"Now, the only difference between that is that he's got a year left to run. That's all. But it's not one of us trying to make as much out of it in terms of finance. It's me, personally. I'd love him to stay. I'm not sure that that's going to happen."
The Hoops gaffer is also braced for interest in Arne Engels after knocking back an eye-watering £25million bid from Nottingham Forest on winter deadline day.
He said: ”I would imagine so, yeah. At this minute, I don't think that anything has happened. Some of these things, it carries on up towards the end of the window and then suddenly something happens.
"I'm not saying we're not prepared for it, but you're not ready because it's happening too late. If, for instance, all those bids that Nottingham Forest made come in on the 11th hour. That was just a non-goer for us at that particular stage.
"If some things can happen a bit earlier, then maybe there's some resignation on my part."
Meanwhile O’Neill confirmed Japanese playmaker Reo Hatate is seeking a fresh challenge.
Hatate, 28, has become a peripheral figure despite being one of the top players in the country on his day.
Celtic's Reo Hatate
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Celtic's Reo Hatate(Image: SNS Group)
And O’Neill said: ”I think that Reo has done exceptionally well at the football club since he arrived. People have said he might even have been the best player in Scotland two or three years ago. I think myself that he's probably looking to maybe see if there's new pastures for him.
"I'll see how it goes with him here when he's there. Like everything else, during this particular time, it's a bit unsettling for players, a wee bit like Maeda. So, you just don't know.
"I'd love to keep him at the football club. He's done brilliantly, and he's got a year left to run. But I said to him, if he left the football club, I would be obviously disappointed, but he couldn't have done any more for us. He really couldn't have done any more.
"And Reo himself, let's see what options might be around. But if nothing develops, I'd be very happy to keep him."
Sweden World Cup star Benjamin Nygren is also believed to be attracting interest after netting 21 goals in his debut season at Parkhead. O’Neill refused to rule out an exit for the goalscoring midfielder.
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He added: ”Yeah, his stats are very, very high, absolutely. So there's every possibility that something could happen there. We haven't had him yet, we haven't had the pleasure of his company for a day or two!”
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