TWTD understands Town target Bersant Celina’s proposed loan move to Stoke City has fallen through.

Earlier in the week it was understood the Potters were the favourites to land the Kosovo international from Dijon, however, that deal, a loan with a view to a permanent switch, has now collapsed.

Dijon remain in French Ligue 2 and need Celina, who has another two years left on his contract, off their wage bill for the season ahead with the forward not having joined them for the start of pre-season.

Town have been in talks with Celina regarding his return to Portman Road for a third spell for much of the summer with the player understood to be keen on the switch but with no agreement reached.

However, despite the Stoke deal having made significant progress before its collapse, discussions have been ongoing and Celina returning to Town could still happen but with Turkish clubs, including Antalyaspor and Kasımpaşa, also in the running. Earlier in the summer Preston were keen but their interest is understood to have cooled.

Celina spent last season on loan at Town having previously been with the Blues during 2017/18 while a Manchester City player and is very much a fans' favourite.

Meanwhile, Blues target George Hirst has been left out of Leicester’s 31-man first team squad for their pre-season trip to the French Alps.

Town are understood to have had an an offer turned down for the 23-year-old with Portsmouth, who the former England U17, U18, U19 and U20 international was with on loan last season, also interested.

As previously reported, we understand the Blues and Pompey are facing Championship opposition for Hirst, who has a year left on his Leicester contract, with one club having made an offer. Rotherham, where he spent a spell on loan in 2020/21, and Blackburn have previously been linked.

Photo: Matchday Images

LegendofthePhoenix added 11:14 - Jul 15 This is Mark Ashton territory. Get in there MA.
10

CityBlue added 11:15 - Jul 15 Lets just get this done. He knows the club, the players and the system. What's not to like about this deal. We let the likes of Lawrence etc get away before ... let's not let Santi slip through the net.
6

SamWhiteUK added 11:16 - Jul 15 If we don't get him now, it'll be clear we never really wanted him. be interesting to see what happens.
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boroughblue added 11:17 - Jul 15 God, it's the hope that kills you isn't it, was just making peace with him not coming here. Not sure how much more of this I can take 😩😂 This does have Mark Ashton written all over it though, come on Mark, get it done son!
5

Dissboyitfc added 11:20 - Jul 15 I would be reasonably pleased with Celina and Hirst if they were the final signings of this window!
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MickMillsTash added 11:24 - Jul 15 With a centre forward in front of him and a decent left back behind him, we will get more output form Celina this coming season. better higher up the pitch than Aluko - I think we probably need him. Can't help thinking that at 25 he needs to sign for a club and settle down rather than another loan
5

OwainG1992 added 11:25 - Jul 15 I wonder what we paid wages wise last season and how much more Dijon want us to pay this time. I also imagine a future permanent deal being agreed could be holding it up too, Regards fees etc.
1

number8 added 11:28 - Jul 15 I'm a bit split on this. When he's on it, hell yes - get him in. However, he is quite up and down and coupled with the wage percentage we need to agree (which I'm assuming won't be insignificant) I'm not totally sure. He is a player I've always liked and if we get him in I will be pleased but equally if it's not to be, I'm not sure it will have a drastic impact, especially if we get another player in that area of the pitch through the door.

1

Dissboyitfc added 11:33 - Jul 15 Sam white you do realise we have restrictions on what we can pay out in wages, his wages might be too mighty for us in this division and could affect other signings. So actually might be out of our hands!!
3

IpswichRising added 11:36 - Jul 15 I am a bit concerned that it appears he is not training with them so would not be fit come the start of the season, could end up missing the first month of the season in order to get fit
1

Rimsy added 11:40 - Jul 15 Mustard
0

Bluearmy71 added 11:40 - Jul 15 Sometimes things fall into place, if it truly is going to happen then its now all aligning with the stars, algorithms of the seas and a certain boardroom in Suffolk, fate can't surely have a say any longer, surely its destiny that beholds Bersant unto the ITFC collective!!
2

JaySwitch added 11:44 - Jul 15 TWTD UNDERSTANDS 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️
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tractorboybig added 11:48 - Jul 15 depends who else wants him, we are an average third tier club/
1

Cakeman added 11:58 - Jul 15 Whoever we get get it done soon. No use waiting and I know it's not always possible with clubs higher up in the pyramid for players to arrive after the season starts. That leads to playing catch up which we are proven not to be good at.
0

runningout added 12:12 - Jul 15 Too much sentimentality again
0

Bluearmy71 added 12:27 - Jul 15 @ runningout Give up the trolling son and go find something you're good at for your own sake not ours!!
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blues1 added 12:28 - Jul 15 While I wouldn't be against him signing, im not sire we need him. Anyone who wasn't the west ham game on Tuesday would have seen , we didn't exactly miss him. As good a player as he can be, he's also extremely inconsistent. For every good fame he has, he probably has 3 or 4 unconvincing performances. And where would he fit into the team now, taking into account we've actually changed our formation so far in preseason. Think there's a lot of things that need to be taken into account before signing him. Even besides the fact, that if dijon are asking us to pay more wages this time, we simply may not be in a position to sign him.

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hadleighboyblue added 12:28 - Jul 15 Wages could well be a problem . If that impacts on further signings , like a striker , then I would say don't do it . A goalscorer has to be our priority .
2

Cadiar added 14:40 - Jul 15 OwainG, I read somewhere he was our highest paid player last season on over a million for the season. How much of this Dijon paid is not revealed. Is he worth that sort of money? Debatable.
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Cadiar added 14:40 - Jul 15 OwainG, I read somewhere he was our highest paid player last season on over a million for the season. How much of this Dijon paid is not revealed. Is he worth that sort of money? Debatable.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:04 - Jul 15 If this happens I can't see it happening till the last minute as Dijon will want a club to pay as much of his wages as possible and a championship club have more chance of doing that unless we get a couple more off our wage bill
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Linkboy13 added 15:26 - Jul 15 Dispite being a big admirer of Celina our most creative midfield player last season 6 goals and 6 assists im not sure if he's worth the money we are going to lay out on him.
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ringwoodblue added 16:09 - Jul 15 Being a pessimist/realist, if he was going to return to Town I think it would've happened by now. Looks like he will go somewhere else in Europe.
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