Celtsarehere understands. Rangers have missed out on Chelsea’s centre-back Ishe Samuels-Smith who is now moving to Strasbourg on a permanent deal.
Strasbourg were the only other club who had firmed up interest in Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and now they are set to secure the centre-back it looks like it clears the path for Celtic to try and get a loan deal done.
Manchester City’s Ederson and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
The developments could prove significant for Brendan Rodgers, who is looking to bolster his defensive options before the transfer window closes.
Simpson-Pusey, an 19-year-old centre-half highly regarded at the Etihad, is available for a loan move this season as Pep Guardiola looks to get him valuable first-team experience at a competitive level.
With Strasbourg now out of the picture, Celtic appears to have a clear run at the youngster. The Hoops hierarchy have been monitoring the situation for some time, aware that competition for promising young defenders can heat up quickly in the final weeks of a transfer window.
Rodgers has been vocal about the need for more depth at centre-back, especially with the added strain of Champions League qualifiers on the horizon.
Simpson-Pusey fits the mould of player Celtic have been targeting in recent seasons, young, athletic, technically strong, and with scope to develop into a key first-team contributor.
His potential arrival would provide competition for established options such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Auston Trusty, and Dane Murray, giving Rodgers greater flexibility in rotation and cover for injuries.
The timing of this opportunity is critical. Celtic have already been linked with several defensive targets this summer, but a loan move for Simpson-Pusey could represent a low-risk, high-reward addition.
Manchester City’s Jahmai Simpson-Pusey during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY.
His development would benefit from regular minutes in a team challenging for silverware, and Celtic’s proven track record in nurturing young talent could be a decisive factor in negotiations with Manchester City.
The coming days will be telling as the Hoops weigh up their options and look to move quickly. With the transfer window ticking down, the route to securing Simpson-Pusey is now more open than it has been all summer, and Celtic will not want to let it pass them by.
