CELTIC star Daizen Maeda will be absent from next month's clash versus Rangers. 

The striker has earned a call-up to the Japan squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. 

Therefore, this rules him out of the crunch Old Firm derby on February 2. 

Maeda will be on international duty for Japan's games against China and Saudi Arabia on January 27 and February 1.

Fellow arrivals from the J-League this month - Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi - have not been included in the Japanese squad. 

Top scorer Kyogo was likely to be called up to the national squad, but his hamstring injury issues mean he is set for more time on the sidelines.

Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu said on Maeda: "What I expect from him are goals. He scored shortly into his debut for Celtic and he was the J1 (co-)top scorer last season. That's what I want from him.

"I think he earned this transfer because [Postecoglou] knows his character and his quality. That's a big advantage and is a big reason for why we called him up.

"A lot of the time right after a transfer, managers don't know how to use their new players & integrate them into the side, and in those cases we might not call them up. But Postecoglou knows how to use Daizen.

"It's very important for the manager to understand the player."

On Kyogo's injury issues, Moriyasu added: "We don't know the details about his injury.

"But because it's at the level where we were concerned about whether he'd be able to contribute to the team we decided not to call him up this time."

Maeda is the latest star player in line to miss the huge derby fixture.

Tom Rogic has been called up for Australia and Kyogo is likely to miss through injury.

Rangers are almost certain to be without Joe Aribo as his Nigeria team continue to impress at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Alfredo Morelos also won't be available after he was recalled by Colombia.

Kemar Roofe is yet to find out his Jamaica fate.