Fresh injury worry for Ange and Celtic with 6-goal star in 'poor condition' after Ross County

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda won’t be joining up with Japan during the international break because of concerns about his fitness.

The forward has made 14 appearances for Celtic since his January move from J1 League outfit Yokohama F Marinos, netting six goals already in the green and white shirt.

He completed 90 minutes, apparently without any difficulty, as the Hoops thumped Ross County 4-0 on Saturday, scoring his team’s third goal midway through the first half.

He was originally set to jet off from Glasgow for international action, along with the likes of compatriot Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor (both Scotland), Josip Juranovic (Croatia) and Tom Rogic (Australia), but that will now not be the case.

The statement, issued on Monday morning (via 67 Hail Hail) reveals that £1.4m-rated attacker Maeda has been omitted from his country’s squad because he is in ‘poor condition’.

Japan are due to play Australia on Thursday and Vietnam on 29 March in a double header of World Cup qualifiers. Victory over Ange Postecoglou’s homeland, or a draw there and a subsequent win, would ensure a seventh successive finals appearance for the Blue Samurai.

It would be a cruel blow for Maeda and Celtic if he faces a spell on the sidelines with injury.

Following the 24-year-old’s goal on Saturday, The Athletic‘s Kieran Devlin that Maeda was ‘starting to settle now’ and consistently produce the goods, but a setback could stall that momentum.

Postecoglou would be losing an in-form attacker who is capable of covering two forward positions – left-wing and centre-forward – and this isn’t the only fresh injury concern for the Hoops manager.

Rogic is considered a doubt for Australia’s matches after he was forced off following Kayne Ramsay’s