x

Celina: Town a Very Good and Big Club With a Very Good Manager - Ipswich Town News

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.

What to read next:

Furlong: Just Having Good Players Isn't Enough
Town full-back Darnell Furlong believes the Blues will need more than just a strong squad of players in order to achieve promotion back to the Premier League this season.
[Podcast] Life's a Pitch TV - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Life's a Pitch TV team is now available.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
McKenna: A Different Blackburn Team to the One We Faced Two Years Ago
Town travel to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday aiming to record back-to-back wins for the first time since the end of their 2023/24 Championship promotion season.
McKenna: Matusiwa Making Really Positive Steps
Blues boss Kieran McKenna says summer signing Azor Matusiwa has made positive steps in his first five games in the Championship with Town now very strong in their midfield department.
McKenna: New Leadership Group Finalised
Blues manager Kieran McKenna says a new leadership group has been finalised with the players assembled over the summer getting to know one another better having taken part in some team bonding last weekend.
McKenna: Blades Win a Good Way to Start the Next Chapter
Town boss Kieran McKenna says last week’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United gave everyone a boost but that the players were in a positive mindset and looking forward to the season ahead even prior to the victory over the Blades.
McKenna: Burns Making Progress, Everyone Else Has Trained
Town boss Kieran McKenna says Wes Burns is making good progress as he continues his recovery from his ACL injury with the Wales international the only player absent from training this week ahead of Saturday’s game at Blackburn Rovers.
New Call Me Ted Poster For Norwich Derby
Town poster gurus Call Me Ted have produced a new design ahead of the East Anglian derby against Norwich City at Portman Road on Sunday 5th October.
U17s Beaten By Hammers
Town’s youngsters were beaten 4-0 by West Ham United in their opening U17 Premier League Cup game at Playford Road this afternoon.