It would be safe to say that Daizen Maeda's downturn in form this season has been one of the biggest reasons behind Celtic's struggles in front of goal. The Japanese international had found the back of the net on 33 occasions in the previous campaign. This time around, he has managed just 11 strikes.

Fortunately, three of those goals have come in the previous two games, alongside a couple of assists as well. Maeda seems to have rediscovered his form at just the right time and Celtic will be hoping that he can inspire them past the finish line in the league title race.

Of course, when it comes to Maeda, it is never just about the numbers. He brings so much more to the team. And his effort in the past few weeks has been fantastic as well.

Maeda seems like a man on a mission at the moment. Perhaps that might be because he is potentially playing his last few weeks in a Celtic jersey.

That could very well turn out to be the case. Last year, there were talks of him being unhappy as Celtic had blocked an exit.

Now, Martin O'Neill has suggested that Maeda seemingly turned down a contract extension offer from the club as well and admitted that he was uncertain about the Japanese international's future.

According to The Herald, O'Neill said about Maeda: "I think there were contract talks with him... was it last August time or was it the time before that? I do know that there were talks and there was a contract in front of him, which he didn't sign at the time.

"I don't know the position now. Wolfsburg were coming in for him and it didn't materialise. I think obviously he became a bit despondent because it was a chance for him to play in the Bundesliga.

"So that didn't happen. Maybe his head was all over the place for a while, but he has certainly settled down.

"But in terms of what's happening in the future, I don't know."

With Maeda's form dipping, it is natural that there would be less interest in his signature this summer than a year back, when he was coming off a 33-goal campaign.

That being said, Maeda is set to get a major chance to impress at the World Cup and catch the eye of all clubs across Europe.

He has been at Celtic for four-and-a-half years and if he wants to take on a new challenge, it is completely understandable. If an exit does take place, he will have our best wishes.

It is also worth mentioning that Maeda has only a year left on his contract after this season. So, Celtic will have a decision to make on their hands. If there are no indications that he wants to extend his stay at Parkhead, then parting ways could be the smarter step, rather than risking him leaving for nothing.

Obviously, finding a replacement for Maeda would be almost impossible. Once again, perhaps they can sign someone who scores a similar number of goals. But how will they find a forward with the Japanese international's work-rate?

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