Town have won the race to sign Manchester City youngster Bersant Celina on a season-long loan and the 20-year-old is expected to complete his move to the Blues later today.

Bolton had looked strong favourites to recruit the Kosovo international for 2017/18 but Sky Sports reported earlier this morning that the Blues were set to land the winger and TWTD understands that that is indeed the case with Celina to travel to Portman Road today to formalise the deal.

The player himself suggested that Bolton were leading the chase earlier in the week, while Leeds and QPR were also understood to have shown interest in the highly-rated youngster.

Having moved to Norway as a two-year-old, Celina was with Strømsgodset as schoolboy before joining Manchester City at 15.

Prizren-born Celina, who is contracted to City until 2020, spent 2016/17 on loan with Dutch side FC Twente, scoring five times and picking up five assists in 27 appearances. Twente were believed to keen for him to return next season.

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.

In addition to signing Celina, the Blues are also likely to confirm Joe Garner's £1 million move from Rangers today with only very minor details still to be completed.

Photo: Action Images

Jimmy86 added 10:05 - Jun 16 Looks like he will be a quick, tricky winger. Notice in 1 of the clips he clipped a decent pass out to none other than Alex Henshall!! Hopefully Mick won't have the shackles on him too tight and allow him to do his thing
2

Ferguson added 10:11 - Jun 16 Welome Bersant. Good enough for our old friends at Twente good enough for me. Use him well McCarthy.
4

whosroundisitanyway added 10:13 - Jun 16 There's quite a few that won't be able to post on this item. Not enough humble pie to go round!
-3

hampstead_blue added 10:16 - Jun 16 Sorry, he doesn't pass the "sensible haircut" test. That silly shaved thing look is a bit old.
1

ThatMuhrenCross added 10:17 - Jun 16 Looks like an excellent signing. Had a good season last year in the Eredivisie. Huddersfield have shown how effective the loan market can be if used correctly. Lets get behind him - plenty more signings needed yet though!
3

StokeHigh97 added 10:19 - Jun 16 Technically v good: Dribbling skills & can certainly finish: no problem with season long loans when we can bring in a quality player: Nice to see us signing a player I look forward to watching: v good signing I'm sure Mark Kennedy helped persuade him to regret other clubs & sign here:
3

bluearmy78 added 10:19 - Jun 16 Hopefully this will put us on a good foot for the season & hopefully 3 or four additional quality signings to come. I just hope that if this does happen that Mick doesn't set up the side too defensive, we need to be ripping up trees this season & getting backsides on seats at PR!
4

pastystringbean added 10:20 - Jun 16 Great signing, at long last we'll have a set piece specialist. Exciting stuff.
2

Brownie added 10:21 - Jun 16 Surprised but pleased.. Has talent and attacking player - year loan is good as well.. Keep it up and things might look more positive. Long way to go though on that front..
3

StokeHigh97 added 10:22 - Jun 16 *Reject* other clubs
0

brendenward35 added 10:24 - Jun 16 Key will be if Mick decides to turn him into a defending midfielder, looks like this guy needs a freedom to cause trouble hopefully Mick will not try and turn him into something he isn't. Need positive not negative football next season
3

dirtyboy added 10:25 - Jun 16 Usually plays as a number 10, same position as McGoldrick?
0

GiveusaWave added 10:28 - Jun 16 In absolute shock....is this a sign that we are going for it this year? Hope so..... Know little about the player but heard good things.
2

AbujaBlue added 10:33 - Jun 16 This is great news and shows that it is not always about geography. Maybe the guy wanted to get out of the whole Manchester scene so that he can focus solely on his football and not be distracted by Manchester City Academy friends. I'm sorry, this may be a bit cruel but I can't resist quoting a comment in full from the TWTD Celina news article to show the level of hysteria there is here about us not being able to sign any players of this calibre: "Really, another non story ? I can write these too..... 'Ronaldo spurns Town to stay at Real!' Like Ronaldo, he was NEVER coming here so why put this up? How about some proper investigative journalism as to what on earth is ACTUALLY happening re our transfer plans for the Summer. Appreciate that is not TWTDs job, but neither is filling the site with this rubbish."

3

12th_Man added 10:33 - Jun 16 Let's wait till he's holding up town shirt first still waiting for Garner
0

leftie1972 added 10:34 - Jun 16 Awesome news, Marvin Emnes on a free and Darren Bent on loan as well?
2

whosroundisitanyway added 10:36 - Jun 16 Think this could prove to be as good as the Giovani Dos Santos loan. It will nice to see a real threat from free kicks around the penalty area.
2

DoseOfReality added 10:39 - Jun 16 Maybe, just maybe ME has started to wake up ... Only a loan but young exciting talent with good pedigree. Get Garner deal done asap & HUWS IS A MUST !!! 2 or 3 more signings and the optimism will return .... If MM here for the next season then we have to get behind him.. but MM you have to attack and entertain ... the boring days could be over
3

whosroundisitanyway added 10:43 - Jun 16 12th Man How about just saying "I was wrong"?
3

leftie1972 added 10:48 - Jun 16 Why is he a poor signing Crock?
1

feelinblue2 added 10:51 - Jun 16 I'd like to think that this young lad will be a first time player, considering his experience last season with FC Twente he would be more than just a bench warmer similar to Lawrence. Good signing in my opinion, out of character for us but welcomed!
2

martin587 added 10:53 - Jun 16 For me he is a quality player,now let's sign E H from Cardiff and things are beginning to look up.👍
3

runningout added 10:56 - Jun 16 I'm a moaner and winger, although happy with this one. Not into loans up the Ying yang
0

IpswichToon added 11:32 - Jun 16 Hopefully this goes through as with the Garner move. We certainly won't be able to say we don't have quality in the side next season by the looks of things!
1

IpswichToon added 11:35 - Jun 16 Is Marvin Emnes a possibility? I would love to see him at Town. Amazing player! I was surprised when Boro let him go to be honest. Every time I see him play he looks brilliant - even with Rovers last season.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls