Issues relating to Bersant Celina's UK work permit scuppered the Kosovo international's proposed loan move to Stoke City, TWTD understands, however, a switch to the Blues wouldn’t be similarly affected.

As reported earlier, Celina’s switch to the Potters, a loan with a view to a permanent deal, has broken down having come close to completion with the 25-year-old’s work permit situation having caused the collapse.

If Celina were to join the Championship club - or any other British side - he would be required to apply for a new work permit, however, we understand the forward wouldn’t qualify.

The situation with a return to Portman Road would be different as it would be a continuation of the existing work permit which allowed him to play for the Blues last season on loan from parent club Dijon.

Having played at League One level last season, an unbanded league when it comes to the points required for qualification, and with Kosovo ranked outside FIFA's top 50 national teams, Celina wouldn't get enough points for a new UK work permit this summer.

While that puts other UK clubs out of the running, that doesn’t mean Celina couldn’t join sides elsewhere in the world.

When he applied a year ago, having played in France's Ligue 1, a band one division, his work permit was a formality.

Town have been in talks with Celina regarding his return to Portman Road for a third spell for much of the summer with the player understood to be keen on the switch but with no agreement yet reached.

Turkish clubs, including Antalyaspor and Kasımpaşa, have also been in talks. Earlier in the summer Preston were keen but their interest is understood to have cooled and would now be impacted by the work permit issue.

Dijon remain in French Ligue 2 and need Celina, who has another two years left on his contract, off their wage bill for the season ahead with the one-time Swansea man not having joined them for the start of pre-season.

Celina spent last season on loan at Town having previously been with the Blues during 2017/18 while a Manchester City player and is very much a fans' favourite at Portman Road.

Photo: TWTD

fifeblue added 17:39 - Jul 15 @fifeblue: "incorerct" Yew need t' improov yer spullin, bor!
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Carberry added 17:54 - Jul 15 Where's Suffolkboy when you need him, he's a man on first name terms with commas.
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RobsonWark added 18:03 - Jul 15 fifeblue: Yes, I meant before but (after understands). I was obviously confused by all your examples. Haha.
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blueboy1981 added 18:08 - Jul 15 This is all about someone ‘we already had last season' …. !!! More to the point and relevant is :- Where's this so called Striker that can bag 20 Goals for us ?? If you think Ladapo up front alone is the answer - I wish you Luck, you'll need it … !!!
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Len_Brennan added 18:18 - Jul 15 I really hope we get Celina again, and for all the reasons that Bazza has correctly pointed out. Whatever your thoughts on the consistency of his performance over all of last season, I don't think too many would disagree that on his day his was arguably the best footballer in the league. Some of his best games came towards the end under McKenna & if the manager wants him here again, it is clear that he feels he can get those type of performances out of him on a more regular basis. He has had the benefit of last year (& half a year under KMcK) so he'll know exactly what is expected of him on day one, with the players we have & the formation we play. He has the brain, vision & quality to pick out a teammate's run & open up defences like no one else in the team (or the league), whether it is clever, tidy reverse passes with Chaplin or John-Jules, or threading a through ball for the pace of Jackson or Ladapo, i can really see some quality play & goals with him in this team. Maybe he'll have a bad game here & there, or be man-marked out of it; no worries, then we bring on Sone Aluko or we switch to 3-4-3/4-3-3 or 2 up front. But over the course of a season he'll do a lot of damage in this league.

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blueboy1981 added 18:20 - Jul 15 Let's not beat about the Bush, Celina needs to be playing at a higher level, his thinking and vision is a yard ahead of this Third Division standard. He needs the right kind of player around him, and this isn't it. Saying he drifts in and out of Games is correct, but when he does, it's invariably because players or a player has woken up around him. This is not his level to be consistent in - for that reason. People tend to conveniently, or not, forget this is primarily blood and thunder Third Division fare - with an off sparkle, now and then…. !!!

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Len_Brennan added 18:21 - Jul 15 blueboy1981: I would imagine that he is George Hirst, or we move on to our next target. I agree that Ladapo is not enough, we need a better finisher in there too.
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blueboy1981 added 18:22 - Jul 15 …. should read :- ‘odd' not ‘off' !!
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BlueRuin69 added 18:41 - Jul 15 Fifeblue....please get a life.....
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 18:56 - Jul 15 fifeblue: I appreciate your concern for the language, and on many occasions, I suffer with you when I read stuff on TWTD. But sometimes you just have to let it ride. [Or more formally: "However, sometimes ..." etc.] My point is that there are different registers ranging from the very formal to text messaging, and what might not be acceptable in a PhD thesis might be perfectly ok in a football forum. Nonetheless, when the language, even in a football forum, is so full of errors that the message is unclear or just irritating, then yes, I agree with your attempts to improve the quality.

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therein61 added 19:09 - Jul 15 Personally i think that since he left City he has moved from pillar to post and being unsettled for any player the important thing is to be wanted i feel we have given him that feeling and signing him on a contract would give him the security he craves and then he can settle in and rip it up and grow at Portman Road.
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bigolconnor added 19:27 - Jul 15 I would love it if we got Celina back, LOVE IT! He is Suffolk ‘n good!
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herfie added 21:09 - Jul 15 ‘people's' not ‘peoples'. A non plural word, worthy of getting the apostrophe right. Next lesson - split infinitives………..😎 COYB (btw)
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Royal_Blue added 22:53 - Jul 15 Spoke to my mate Jacob tonight, and he agreed with me. This could be the first genuine benefit from Brexit.
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Class_of_81 added 00:40 - Jul 16 Celina…. As much as he is a decent player he went missing far too many times last season. If we are serious about getting promoted then I'd leave this one alone until his club asks us to take him. As has proven over the last 3 years, luxury players don't get you out of this league, hard working players do just that. Move on towen and get a hard working LB instead of that tripe Penny. Another player up top too. Maybe a player that works hard and loves us, Macca Bonne

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