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.