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Celina: Town a Very Good and Big Club With a Very Good Manager Friday, 16th Jun 2017 17:24
Manchester City youngster Bersant Celina says he opted to join the Blues ahead of a number of other interested sides as it’s a “very good and big club with a very good manager”. The 20-year-old’s season-long loan to Town has been agreed in principle but won’t be formally confirmed until the Kosovo international returns from holiday.
The Blues fought off opposition from Bolton, Leeds, QPR, Celina’s former loan side FC Twente and other clubs in Holland and Belgium to land the highly-rated attacker for the 2017/18 campaign.
Celina told Norwegian TV channel TV2 that he made his decision yesterday: “Things have gone very fast. I decided to sign for Ipswich on Thursday.”
He added: ”I chose Ipswich because it is a very good and big club with a very good manager."
We understand the deal is essentially done but can’t yet be formalised with Celina still technically on loan at FC Twente, where he spent the 2016/17 campaign, until the end of the month.
The winger, who can also operate up front or off the main striker, has also now flown out on holiday having been away on international duty with Kosovo’s U21s in Norway, the country where he grew up from the age of two.
He is now expected at Portman Road at the start of pre-season training on Monday 26th June or in the days afterwards when he will undergo a medical and complete the formalities relating to his switch.
In addition to Celina's thoughts on Town, the progress made by the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Ryan Fraser and Tom Lawrence during their loan spells at Portman Road in the last couple of seasons is understood to have counted in the Blues’ favour, while a growing relationship between Town and Manchester City is also believed to have helped facilitate the move.
Prizren-born Celina, who is contracted to City until 2020, was with Strømsgodset as schoolboy before joining Manchester City at 15.
Capped six times by Kosovo at full level, scoring once, Celina has made one Premier League sub appearance for City in addition to two starts and one game from the bench in the FA Cup.
Meanwhile, the Blues also continue to wait to complete the signing of Rangers striker Joe Garner, who got married in his native Lancashire earlier today. Confirmation of that move is now likely to come next week.
All aspects of the deal to join Town have been agreed, a £1 million fee and what’s understood to be a three-year deal, but the Blues are waiting on Garner to resolve an outstanding financial issue with Rangers before the paperwork can be completed.
Photo: Action Images
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It's great that a player has chosen to join us other some of our rivals and made positive comments about us. I've heard good things about Celina and hope he can be a real asset for us on the pitch in 17/18.
Presumably Town paid a loan fee to get him, any ideas how much? If it is a large loan fee I would be less keen on the deal as I would prefer us to invest in buying young players we own ourselves. I suppose with McCarthy being in the last year of his contract he is incentivised to make short term signings however rather than think long-term in line with Marcus Evans' 5 point plan.
I'd take a few more loan players, it's not ideal but imagine Lawrence, Fraser and him if they had all been in the same team! Can't just rely on one and at the moment can't rely on buying players as we just can't compete financially
No problem with loans of this type. Just add them to a few signings. Massive season ahead for ITFC so here's hoping this lad is as good as people say he is..
unknown100 re your post we could compete we just don't!! and regards Celinas comment a very good manager just beggars belief the Portman Road spin doctors have written that for him haven't they Mr Milne, having said that I look forward to hopefully see the young man rip up a few defences next season providing he gets some service!! that means he will have to be in a full back position to get a pass rom 1st name on the team sheet the inept Cole Skuse.
I know both deals are essentially done but I will be happier once pen has been put to paper as I remember the Ian Crook & Hassan Kachloul transfer sagas very well. Fingers crossed there aren't any unexpected hitches in the deals, especially Celina
Looks to be a good signing, saying all the right things, refreshing and it's been a long time since a player has chosen to join ITFC over other alternatives. Credit to ME loosening the purse strings a backing MM when he is guaranteed to take another financial hit (season tickets dropping). It's a new season, the torrid time of last year has to be forgotten, MM can only be judged now some money is being allowed to be spent
Don't know too much about the lad but as he's at Citeh he must be pretty decent innit, lets hope MM just allows him to express himself and enjoy his football, his job is purely to go out and hurt sides, please PLEASE Mick don't ask him to double cover in his own half and allow us the fans to then wonder why he can't cut it and looks jaded before Christmas, you can't have it all ways as much as you think you can..
Good signing though, shame it's a bloody loan but that's the way it is...
Get in there! Come on Marcus.. keep them coming and make us optimistic about the season.. exciting young players will get bums on seats! Portman road is a fortress when 20,000+.. look forward to seeing his lad.. promising what I've seen! COYB! Trying to keep optimistic after the debacle of last season
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