Celtic to use Man City relationship for season-boosting loan
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Manchester City youngster Bersant Celina had his first taste of senior football for the Citizens in the club’s FA Cup win over Norwich. However, that looks to be his lot in a sky blue shirt for at least the rest of the season, as rumours of a loan move away from the club surface.
Should that chatter prove correct, the Norway-raised Kosovan will still experience a big-club atmosphere, as Celtic are suggested as the landing spot for the highly-rated attacking midfielder.
The Daily Record reports that Hoops manager Ronny Deila recently discussed the possibility of taking Celina on loan. A deal would reunite the Norwegian with one of his former charges from his homeland.
Celina was on the books of Stromsgodet’s youth side while Deila was in charge of the Tippeligaen outfit, nurturing the midfielder’s talent before the 19-year-old secured a scholarship, and subsequent professional contract, at the Etihad in 2014.
A familiarity between the two men will certainly aid any potential deal, as will the strong links Celtic have built with Man City over the last 10 years.
Four players have moved from the Citizens to Glasgow’s east end in that time and each one can be considered a success in their own right.
Georgios Samaras spent six-and-a-half seasons at Celtic Park having turned his January loan deal into a permanent one at the end of the 2007/08 campaign. The Greek forward scored 53 league goals for the club and collected four league titles among his haul of seven winners’ medals.
Things quietened down between the two parties until recently, when a flurry of deals were signed off.
Jason Denayer spent last season on loan with the Celts, making 29 league appearances at centre-half. He was joined by Swedish striker John Guideti, who scored 15 all-competition goals in 35 games, a month later.
Finally, this summer, centre-back Dedryck Boyata made a £700k-switch north of the border and has so far started 17 of the club’s 20 Ladbrokes Premiership assignments.
With the Bhoys three points ahead of Aberdeen in the race for the title, Celina’s arrival could be the sparkplug the club need to pull away from their rivals.
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