Celtic 'submit bid' to sign Manchester City gem amid rival Ligue 1 interest
Manchester City are set to sell several players this summer, and could allow some younger players to leave on loan.
City’s transfer window has been fairly straightforward so far this summer, but they are expecting drama as several players could be in line to leave the Etihad. Jack Grealish is expected to move amid interest from Everton and Aston Villa, and James McAtee has also generated a lot of headlines.
McAtee has been linked to several Premier League clubs, with Everton and Nottingham Forest named as potential destinations for the City academy product. He could be leaving on a permanent sale, but he isn’t the only youngster who could leave.
Celtic are reportedly keen to bring in a different Man City academy product this summer as they aim to cement their place at the top of the Scottish Premiership ahead of Russell Martin’s Rangers.
Celtic ‘submit bid’ for Man City wonderkid
Brendan Rodgers has no intention of letting Rangers catch up, and one player he aims to bring to Glasgow is Manchester City youngster Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, the 19-year-old defender.
According to a report by Football Insider, Celtic and French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg have ‘submitted bids’ for Simpson-Pusey, permanently or on loan. However, the defender’s future is uncertain as Man City haven’t yet decided whether to allow the 19-year-old to leave this summer.
Last season, Simpson-Pusey made two appearances in the Premier League, two in the Champions League, and one in the FA Cup for Pep Guardiola’s side. He is one of the main candidates to break out for Man City moving forward, but he could be on his way out before getting his chance.
The report says that it has not been confirmed whether Celtic and Strasbourg are prioritising a permanent move, or a loan deal for the 19-year-old, but Man City would likely prefer a loan move because he could develop into a star. He is currently estimated to be worth around £4.3 million.
Who else could leave Man City before the end of the window?
As previously mentioned, the likes of Grealish and McAtee are potential for a departure this summer, with Grealish being the most likely as he’s lost his position in Guardiola’s side. Earlier in the summer, reports suggested that Bernardo Silva could leave the club, especially considering the additions of Rayan Cherki and Tijani Reijnders, who are expected to play a role in midfield.
However, Guardiola did make Silva his captain following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne. But, the 30-year-old is yet to sign a new contract at Man City, and with his current deal due to expire next summer, City could cash in on the Portuguese midfielder if they don’t plan on signing him to an extended contract.
If they don’t cash in on him this summer, Silva could leave for free next year, which would mean City miss out on some funds back. The 30-year-old is expected to be worth around £33m at the moment.