Celtic star Daizen Maeda has been seeking a move away from the club since February.
The Japanese forward revealed last week that he had handed in a transfer request this summer and continued to pursue a departure until deadline day.
However, Celtic could not meet his demands due to limited transfer activity, meaning they could not find a suitable replacement for the 27-year-old.
Manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed Maeda’s desire to leave, stating: “Daizen wanted to leave in February.
“I still feel that if a player wants to leave, we have to be ready for that, but we weren’t in this window.”
Rodgers also commented on the club’s transfer window, which has been a point of contention among fans.
He said: “I think the business model of the club is highly successful.
“What we have to marry that in with is the football.
“Not just investment, timing of investment.
“It was clear what we needed, and we needed it early.
“We had these qualification games.
“Summer 2025 was a critical window for us to get players in to be ready for these games, and we weren’t ready.”
Maeda shared his disappointment about the failed move with Japanese media outlet Gekisaka.
He said: “I joined the national team late and was in talks with Celtic until the final day, but it didn’t work out.
“I had an offer and had consistently communicated to my club that I wanted to take the next step in my career.
“However, Celtic ultimately couldn’t secure the necessary reinforcements and told me they couldn’t let me go.
“Personally, I had come to an understanding with the club, so I had the desire to take on this challenge.
“I’d been in constant talks with the club since before last season ended, consistently expressing my desire to take the next step.
“There were league matches, and we lost the CL qualifiers, so it was difficult.
