Turkish Süper Lig side Kasımpaşa have confirmed the loan signing of former Blues loanee Bersant Celina from Dijon, as revealed by TWTD yesterday, bringing the summer’s lengthy transfer saga to a close.

As previously reported, Celina travelled to Istanbul yesterday to complete the switch, a season-long loan from parent club Dijon with an option to buy, a fortnight after making the same trip and deciding not to make the move to the club whose average attendance last season was 2,451. Kasımpaşa formally announced the move this evening.

Town had been in talks with Celina regarding his return to Portman Road for a third spell - also a loan with a view to a permanent switch - for much of the summer with the player understood to be keen on a return but with no agreement on terms ever reached.

We understand no further discussions took place between the Blues and Celina following the 25-year-old’s previous trip to Istanbul.

As revealed last month, Stoke looked to be Celina’s destination until his work permit situation caused the proposed switch to collapse.

In addition to Kasımpaşa, another Turkish club Antalyaspor also held talks and earlier in the summer Preston were keen but their interest is understood to have cooled and would anyway have been impacted by the work permit issue.

Latterly, Rangers were believed to have been interested with Scottish clubs subject to an exemption regarding the work permit situation, but that ultimately came to nothing.

Fans' favourite Celina spent last season on loan at Town, scoring six times in 24 starts and 11 sub appearances, having previously been with the Blues during 2017/18 while a Manchester City player.

Photo: Pagepix

CookAshtonJohnson added 19:13 - Aug 2 Well, the saga ends, ultimately it depends on what side of the fence you were sat on to decide whether this ends up being good or bad for us. Let's hope Ashton and KMC already have contacted other clubs for alternatives and can sign someone to be a permanent fan favourite, and as the classic saying goes, “Never fall in love with a player on loan”.
2

algarvefan added 20:03 - Aug 2 I think he will live to regret that signing, yes he will make more money, but as most of us know money isn't everything. Personally for me he wasn't consistent enough but when he was good he was excellent, time to move on.
6

RobsonWark added 20:17 - Aug 2 Thank god for that!! I'm fed up of hearing about someone who had no interest in signing for us.
6

Gforce added 20:54 - Aug 2 Bored of this now 😴
2

Cakeman added 21:00 - Aug 2 Very talented player but no fairytale ending. Hopefully we still have enough money to enhance the squad to give us best chance of promotion. Bersant certainly blew hot and cold but he was a potential game changer and very much his own man which made him a very dangerous opponent. He loved Ipswich but for whatever reason it wasn't meant to be. I wish him the very best but time to move on. Now and I know I will be blasted by some but let us please now concentrate on getting a Billy Sharp/David Nugent type in and quickly. That could just mean the difference from going up or not.

2

Cloddyseedbed added 21:27 - Aug 2 Thank Goodness, now please everybody move on and stop mentioning him. Not our player, end of.
6

herfie added 22:02 - Aug 2 He's gone. No further mention of him required. No return - end of.
6

Chrisd added 22:41 - Aug 2 Thankfully, we can all move on from this Celina saga that has drifted along far too long. Honestly, not overly disappointed with the outcome either.
4

bobbyramsey added 06:44 - Aug 3 Who?
1

ArnieM added 07:38 - Aug 3 Who's Celina?
0

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 08:24 - Aug 3 I'm gonna call it - he'll be with us next season!
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Talbs77 added 09:09 - Aug 3 Honestly you'd think he scored 40 goals for us last year and got 20 assists the way local media (not Phil @ TWTD) idolise the guy. He's a good player, we get it but Dijon didn't want to play ball so we move on. Like others on here we need more goals in this team, for me that's the only piece of the jigsaw missing, let's get them in.
3

DMDC added 10:21 - Aug 3 Glad this is over, never has been consistent enough in either spells with us. Now lets get a striker in who can actually find the net.
2

Mariner1974 added 11:11 - Aug 3 Looking forward to seeing you back at Portman next year Santi when we're back in the Championship. Will never tire of watching that goal against Crewe!
-1

JewellintheTown added 11:53 - Aug 3 Must be on some serious money or perks to play to a tiny fanbase in comparison to us and a smaller stadium located in what looks like a war zone in a country with less liberties. Makes you wonder how they can afford to do that. Good luck to the guy but might come to regret that and maybe its somewhat outside of his hands, but ultimately its his choice. Could have been a hero at ITFC but money talks.

1

londonben added 13:09 - Aug 3 Shame, particularly as he was apparently keen to rejoin us. I suspect he's on high wages at his parent club and the Turkish club were willing to pay a higher proportion of them than we were. I can't imagine he would have chosen to play in front of such a tiny crowd if they'd left the choice to him. Ah well, I wish him the best!
0

greenkingtone added 13:29 - Aug 3 Let's forget this player. He seems to like fcking everybody about.
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tempzzzz added 14:05 - Aug 3 @JewellintheTown - Owner is worth 1.3 billion supposedly, so that would be how they can afford him I guess.... https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/melek/owner/
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