Forget Jota’s emotional cameo for Celtic – the stats-heavy replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi comes from a different source.
Miles away, Kyogo Furuhashi, Celtic’s former talisman, was making his debut for Rennes at home against Strasbourg.
Furuhashi’s move to French football has left a gap at Celtic that needs to be filled. The club’s hunt for a new striker will likely continue until the final day of the transfer window. So far, names like Kelechi Iheanacho, David Strelec, and Mathias Kvistgaarden have been linked to Celtic, though no deals have materialized yet.
Celtic may still need another striker by the transfer window’s close on Monday, but if no signing happens, Adam Idah and especially Daizen Maeda have stepped up as potential successors to Kyogo’s position.
Idah started as the main striker in Celtic’s 3-1 Premiership victory over Motherwell and scored a key goal on the half-hour mark to restore their lead. He showed strength in his play and seems to have shaken off the 14-game goal drought, which he ended with two goals against Aston Villa earlier in the week.
However, Maeda is currently Celtic’s standout player. His performance this season has been exceptional, with his blistering pace and attacking presence causing havoc for defenders. Maeda has scored 16 goals and provided 8 assists, impressive numbers considering it’s still early February.
The 27-year-old is in the form of his life, and Celtic will need him to keep it up, especially if manager Brendan Rodgers does not sign another forward. Jota, who made his second debut as a substitute, will also contribute from the wing, as shown by his tap-in goal late in the match, but Maeda’s versatility — playing both centrally and out wide — adds another valuable dimension to the attack.
Maeda and fellow Japanese international Reo Hatate were the standout performers in a game where Celtic dominated possession against a managerless Motherwell but failed to convert their superiority into goals. They completely controlled the second half, though Motherwell’s goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe and an offside flag denied them on several occasions. Hatate was the creative force in midfield, while Callum McGregor, playing his 500th game, had a quieter match. Celtic didn’t need to push too hard to secure the win.
Motherwell, who had just parted ways with manager Stuart Kettlewell earlier in the week, showed some resilience after conceding early. The club’s recruitment drive has seen over 20 new arrivals this season, and although they struggled in this match, they fought back after going a goal down. Their new striker, Luke Armstrong, caused problems for Celtic’s defense. After this loss, Motherwell sits in sixth place, in danger of a relegation battle if their fortunes don’t improve. The board has two weeks before their next match to appoint a new manager.
For Celtic, the game’s early goal came within the first 50 seconds, the fastest in the Premiership this season. Tony Ralston’s perfect cross from the right found Maeda, who headed past Balcombe for the opener.
Motherwell responded well after conceding early, and their equalizer on 23 minutes came amid some controversy. Dom Thompson’s cross was mishandled by Cameron Carter-Vickers under pressure from Armstrong, and the ball bounced off a prone Auston Trusty into Armstrong’s path, allowing him to score. Celtic appealed for a push on Carter-Vickers, but the referee and VAR did not intervene.
Celtic quickly regained the lead when Hatate set up Luke McCowan, whose pass found Maeda in the box. Maeda’s cutback was finished by Idah for a 2-1 lead.
Maeda came close again with a shot saved by Balcombe on 43 minutes, leaving Celtic just one goal ahead at halftime.
Motherwell had another narrow escape on 48 minutes when Idah’s low cross was turned into his own net by Tom Sparrow, although Maeda, who was lurking behind, would have scored had Sparrow not intervened. A VAR review spared Sparrow the own goal.
Celtic continued to push for a third. Idah hit the post from distance, and just after the hour mark, Nicolas Kuhn had a stunning bicycle kick ruled out for offside after Balcombe initially saved his effort.
Jota made his second debut with a warm reception from the Celtic fans, but despite several near-misses from Idah and Carter-Vickers, Motherwell held on.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, Maeda set up Jota, who finished off a simple tap-in to seal the win. Jota celebrated emotionally, and it’s clear this moment could be a familiar sight in the future.
Now, the question remains: Will Celtic bring in more attacking reinforcements to strengthen their forward line?
