Brendan Rodgers warned that Daizen Maeda will now be on the radar of bigger clubs after bringing his tally for the season to 25 with a double in the 5-1 win over Aberdeen.
He hailed the Japanese star as ‘the symbol’ of his team after he started and finished the scoring in a merciless demolition of the Dons which moved Celtic 16 points clear at the top of the Premiership with just 10 games remaining.
Jota, Callum McGregor and substitute Yang-Hyun jun were also on the scoresheet, with Shayden Morris claiming a 90th-minute consolation for the visitors.
Asked if Maeda’s contribution to Celtic’s season to date – including four goals in the Champions League – would be attracting interest elsewhere, Rodgers said: ‘I would think he would. I think a number of the players will, because of their efficiency and their work. And not only that, they’ve done it at the highest level.
‘If you’re doing it at a Champions League level, you’re showing you can do it on that stage.
‘I think if you’re scoring goals like he has, work as hard as he does, then of course that will always bring attention.
Daizen Maeda, right, celebrates his second goal of the night with team-mate Johnston
Maeda’s final goal of the evening was also his 25th of an extraordinary season for the player
The Japanese star was quick off the mark to put Celtic in front after 24 minutes
‘But I also think the team and the structure of the team really promotes his qualities.
‘He’s a great symbol for our team and the collective. What I asked of him in terms of the pressing, he’s at the highest level of that, just the intensity with which he presses.
‘And then I believe he can score in whatever position he plays along the front line.
‘You’ve seen him score goals from the right side, from the left side, as a central striker.
‘His first goal was wonderful anticipation to get onto it. The second goal is what he’s shown a lot this season, where he’s in the areas we want him to be in after a brilliant cross by Ali (Johnston).’
Rodgers was delighted with the result which saw his side bounce back from the weekend loss to Hibs but less pleased with the way his side started the game.
‘I wasn’t so happy with their pressing,’ he explained. ‘That wasn’t quite right. We were a wee bit loose with the ball, but the mentality was there in the team to be clinical. I thought in the second half we were much better.
‘We played the game mostly in their half, suffocated the game and then scored two more wonderful goals. So, yeah, it’s a really pleasing scoreline against a team that found that wee bit of form again and have good quality players. We showed a real ambition in the game and that was very good.’
Jota and McGregor scored Celtic’s second and third goals in a 5-1 rout of Aberdeen
Jota’s scuffed finish gave the home side a two-goal lead inside half an hour at Parkhead
Skipper McGregor was then on target to make it a comfortable evening for the champions
Rodgers praised the mentality his side showed in dusting themselves down from the weekend loss.
‘I think one of the traits within this team, and what I recognise, is the resilience,’ he stressed.
‘Any moment this season when we’ve had a little bump, the mentality to come again has been there and that was what we had today.’
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin was left to regret the fact his side didn’t take any of the chances they fashioned in a promising opening to the game.
Yang enjoyed getting on the scoresheet to make it 4-0 for the dominant Premiership leaders
Manager Rodgers enjoyed what he was seeing despite a few near misses for his team
Shayden Morris pulled back a late consolation goal for a well-beaten Aberdeen side
‘An overall result of 5-1 is too much in the end,’ he said.
‘But, in terms of how we want to grow as a team, some parts of the first half were good.
‘We created chances, but they were beating us in the small percentages in the duels and they scored three goals in not many more chances.
‘They were really clinical. It’s difficult to go out in the second half at 3-0 and Celtic are really good at what they do.
‘You have to take your chances in these moments.’
