TWTD understands Town’s pursuit of former loanee Bersant Celina is still ongoing with a loan deal now looking more likely than an immediate permanent move.

As previously reported, discussions regarding the ambitious recruitment of the 24-year-old Kosovan international, who is currently with French side Dijon, have been in progress for a number of weeks with the forward understood to be seriously considering the chance to return to Portman Road.

We understand a loan with a view to a permanent switch next summer is now looking more likely than a full-time move now but with conversations between the parties continuing.

Dijon were relegated from Ligue 1 in 2020/21 after finishing bottom of the table and Celina looks certain to depart this summer.

In addition to Town, clubs from higher divisions are also keen with Championship sides Hull City - who are currently subject to a transfer embargo - and Coventry, and teams from the Dutch top flight, where Celina previously played on loan with FC Twente, having been linked.

Celina spent 2017/18 on loan with the Blues from Manchester City, making 26 starts and 12 sub appearances, scoring eight times, in a successful spell under Mick McCarthy’s management.

Norway-raised Celina left City for Swansea in the summer of 2018 for £3 million - having made one senior start and three sub appearances for the Citizens - and went on to make 65 starts and 14 sub appearances for the Swans, scoring 10 times, before being sold to Dijon for a reported £2.7 million in September 2020, signing a four-year contract.

During 2020/21, 5ft 11in tall Celina made 26 starts and seven sub appearances in all competitions for Dijon without finding the net.

Capped by the Norwegians at U16, U17 and U21 levels, Celina subsequently switched allegiance to his native Kosovo for whom he has played U21 and senior games. He has now taken his full caps total to 29, scoring twice.

Meanwhile, former Town trialist Quevin Castro has joined West Brom on a two-year deal with the option of a further season.

Thetford-raised Castro, 19, spent time with the Blues in the summer of 2019 and also featured for the U23s in November last year, and also spent time on trial with a number of other clubs, including Arsenal and Chelsea, while playing for a number of sides in non-league.

Photo: Matchday Images

OsborneOneNil added 12:29 - Jul 13 Nice
1

Karlosfandangal added 12:35 - Jul 13 If he plays as he did for McCarthy he will rip this league apart
19

PinstripeBlue added 12:36 - Jul 13 Please let this happen. I like Celina, and after a spell with Dijon he'll be mustard.
33

Mediocre_Quick added 12:42 - Jul 13 Can't wait for the idiots in Twitter to go to town on this bit of news... Lets get him in, and we're looking good for promotion
0

Bazza8564 added 12:46 - Jul 13 Loan is fine, if he is worried about a long term commitment to a L1 club its fair to allow him to hedge his bets for 12 months, as long as we have the full season and rights to sign afterwards if we go up why not?
6

FBI added 12:51 - Jul 13 Loan is fine fioer the right player. MOre of an extended truiakl period for both parties.
0

Europablue added 12:51 - Jul 13 Mediocre_Quick He would be a great addition to the team. Cook and Ashton have followed a high-risk strategy of almost replacing the entire squad. To be fair to them, they have done a great job of recruitment so far, so they have earnt my faith in them. We'll see how the players gel and how quickly they can get going. Hurst tried roughly the same strategy from a weak position considering the recruitment set up and that led to our demotion. It's almost all positive so far.

11

rexron added 12:54 - Jul 13 Not much to think about. If he wants to play for Ipswich, make it happen.
4

Sir_Bob added 12:57 - Jul 13 I cannot see the comparison between this transfer window and the Hurst transfer window. Hurst was in the Championship, Championship players moved on and they were replaced with L1 & L2 players, and that's where we ended up. We are now in L1 replacing our L1 / L2 players with Championship players... and that's where we will end up.
28

blues1 added 13:00 - Jul 13 Europablue. Think the difference is that Hurst took a gamble which didnt pay off, in bringing too many players in from lower lges. Whereas now we are bringing in players of a much higher calibre. And while it may take a while for it to gel, theres a much higher chance of success.
12

itfcserbia added 13:02 - Jul 13 PinstripeBlue - I'm sure we can mustard something up with Dijon since they couldn't cut the mustard in League 1.
1

Linkboy13 added 13:03 - Jul 13 Would be fantastic if we could sign him but how on earth are we going to compete with the other teams when it comes to wages. Even a loan deal is not going to work out cheap.
2

Saxonblue74 added 13:09 - Jul 13 Bring him in, get us promoted and sign him up!
5

NITFC added 13:10 - Jul 13 I saw him at St Marys playing for Kosovo against England and he was their star player. They played in the centre and everything went through him. Yes please
7

Blue_75 added 13:15 - Jul 13 Really hope this happens. Celina was a great hit the fans before and he should tear this league up! Just hope we can sell the long term plan to him. If we managed to get him and Crooks we'd have a formidable attacking line up. COYB 💪🏻
6

markchips added 13:16 - Jul 13 Top player cutting in from the left or playing centrally. Loan deal with Option to buy is fine.
5

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 13:19 - Jul 13 No surprise Quevin Castro was signed by a top club. Would be great news if we can sign Celina, he'd be brilliant at this level and create loads of chances for our strikers.
1

Mediocre_Quick added 13:23 - Jul 13 Europablue, not sure what point you're trying to make in regards to my comment which was all positive? Odd behaviour
0

not_a_witty_name added 13:40 - Jul 13 Well the last person I can remember getting on a season long loan with a view to purchase was Reuser so hopefully this season will be as successful as that one. I thought Celina was good going forward but wasn't too interested in defending but he's probably added that to his game so will be a good addition especially as he's still only 24.
4

BlueySwede added 13:47 - Jul 13 Not too fond of many loan players, I really hope that we get that extra quality in with permanent signings. But ok, a couple would be fine, especially if it is done with the aim of signing them permanently.
1

ringwoodblue added 14:13 - Jul 13 Pigott was a statement signing for me but Celina would be upping the ante a bit further. Fingers crossed it happens - loan or perm.
7

IpswichT62OldBoy added 14:42 - Jul 13 If he signs on loan it says a lot about how he sees Town, a club going somewhere a place he can shine , do his career a bit of good if he has a good season, and if we do hopefully he will stay
3

Europablue added 16:17 - Jul 13 Sir_Bob The comparison is that they both wholesale changed the squad, the way they went about it was different. It could be argued that what Hurst did was what made such drastic action by Cook so necessary.
1

Europablue added 16:22 - Jul 13 Mediocre_Quick This bit of what you said was negative "Can't wait for the idiots in Twitter to go to town on this bit of news...". You are right, I didn't tie your comment into the comment very well, I suppose I was just distracted. I had no malicious intent. What did you mean by what you said? Do you think the Twitter idiots will be negative about Celina?
0

ArnieM added 18:29 - Jul 13 Oh let's get this done, and get Celina in …..if nothing else we'll have a great song to sing again Lol!
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