Town have confirmed the signing of Manchester City winger Bersant Celina on a season-long loan deal.

The 20-year-old Kosovo international travelled to Ipswich yesterday to formalise his switch and to undergo a medical before flying out to Ireland with the rest of the squad for the traditional pre-season training camp at the Carton House Hotel this morning.

The remaining details relating to the deal were tied up by the clubs this afternoon.

Town beat the likes of Bolton, QPR and Leeds to land the highly-rated forward, whose previous season-long loan in Holland with FC Twente officially ended on Friday.

Celina is delighted that his switch has been confirmed and to have joined up with the Blues.

“I’m really pleased to be here and I’m looking forward to getting to know my new team-mates, the staff and everyone at the club,” he told the club site.

“Ipswich is a big club, has a big history and it’s a good place for me to be at this moment.

“I’ve had a break but now I can’t wait to get going - to train with the players and to put on the shirt and play for the team.

“I had a good loan spell in Holland last season. That helped me become a better player and hopefully it can be the same here. I’m looking forward to doing what I can to help the team.”

Prizren-born Celina, who is contracted to City until 2020, grew up in Norway from the age of two and was with Strømsgodset as schoolboy before joining Manchester City at 15.

Capped six times by Kosovo at full level, scoring once, he has made one Premier League sub appearance for City in addition to two starts and one game from the bench in the FA Cup.

Speaking at the first day of pre-season training last Monday, manager Mick McCarthy challenged Celina to emulate the success of previous loanees Ryan Fraser and Tom Lawrence.

“We’ve been looking for a replacement for Tom Lawrence," he said. "No pressure on him there, is there? Player of the year in every department.

“But Tom came in and I can’t remember everyone thinking that that was the best signing in the world.

“We’d had Ryan Fraser the year before and how good he was, but yet I never hear them mention Ryan. So I’m hoping that Bersant Celina can do that.

“He’s a similar type, right-footed, left winger, can play in behind the striker but I really want him to play in that wide left area, hopefully in a four and if necessary in a three.”

Photo: ITFC

bluesman added 21:36 - Jul 4 He's been allowed to come here because Mick's trusted by people who know more a bout football than a lot of the idiots on here
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jas0999 added 21:05 - Jul 5 Great news!
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thechangingman added 13:24 - Jul 7 I think you'd have to be very cynical indeed to find anything negative about this news - onwards and upwards... COYB!!
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