Daizen Maeda asked Celtic to leave the club before Monday’s transfer deadline as he sought a fresh challenge.
The Japanese attacker has been in Glasgow for the past three years but wanted new competition after winning all domestic trophies available at least once.
Maeda, 27, also helped the Hoops to the Treble under former boss Ange Postecoglou and he was the club’s top goal scorer last season when Brendan Rodgers’ troops won the Double.
Brentford have tracked Maeda in recent months while Southampton also had their eye on the versatile attacker who is a wide man by trade but has been shifted through the middle for the Hoops in recent times.
Now the forward has explained that he requested an exit and even had an offer on the table which he agreed to and said yes before being told of Celtic’s need to keep hold of him.
But the pragmatic international understood their reasons.
Daizen Maeda wanted Celtic transfer exit this summer
“My joining of the national team was delayed, and I had been talking to Celtic until the last day, but it didn’t work out,” he told Japanese media during his duties with the Samurai Blue.
“I had received an offer, and I had been telling the club that I wanted to take the next step, but Celtic hadn’t been able to make any good reinforcements, so in the end they told me they couldn’t let me leave.
“There were some things that I had agreed to personally, so I wanted to take on the challenge.
“I’ve decided to stay with Celtic, so I want to work hard as a team.”
It is understood more than one club in the Premier League wanted to speak with Maeda this summer despite Celtic also offering a new deal which was snubbed.
Clubs in Italy and Germany have also been credited with an interest in the player while Fenerbahce were linked while Jose Mourinho was boss.
What Maeda told Celtic about desire for fresh challenge
Maeda also added how early he had told Celts of his desire to chase a new challenge.
And, again, he acknowledged how difficult the timing was for the club.
Maeda added: “I’d been talking to the club since before the end of the previous season, and I’d always told them I wanted to take the next step, but we had league games and we lost in the Champions League qualifiers, so it was difficult.”
Allowing Maeda to leave Parkhead would have been damning for the Hoops board who have already faced criticism from furious fans over their lack of transfer business this summer.
Adam Idah was sold to Swansea City before a replacement was lined up. Kelechi Iheanacho would eventually sign as a free agent.
