A Manchester City star’s ‘nightmare’ is over and he’s about to embark on a new chapter in Germany, according to reports.
As is customary at all top clubs, Man City loaned a handful of their brightest prospects out last summer in the hopes they’d fast-track their development with competitive and regular football elsewhere.
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was among those to depart when joining Scottish champions Celtic on a season-long loan.
However, the 20-year-old centre-back did not make his league debut for Celtic until November. To date, that one appearance at right-back against Kilmarnock is his only SPL outing so far.
The Sun termed Simpson-Pusey’s spell north of the border a ‘nightmare’ and mercifully, it’s about to end.
Taking to X, Sky Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, revealed the defender is joining Bundesliga outfit Koln on loan for the rest of the season.
As such, his disastrous loan stint with Celtic has been cut short and Simpson-Pusey will now undergo a medical ahead of completing the move by Tuesday at the latest.
Plettenberg wrote: “Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to 1. FC Köln – DONE DEAL. An agreement has been reached with Manchester City.
“It is a 6-month loan with an option to buy. 20 y/o talented centre-back is expected to complete his medical in Cologne today.
“If everything goes to plan, he will join the training camp by Tuesday at the latest.”
As mentioned, an option to buy has been included in the agreement, meaning Simpson-Pusey’s move to Koln could become permanent in the summer.
A follow-up from Fabrizio Romano shed light on the situation, with the reporter stating: “Buy option clause: Man City value him at £10m, Koln offer around £5m. #MCFC to have buy back clause.”
Latest Man City news – Marmoush on the move? / Maresca jumps the gun?
In other news, Aston Villa are interested in bringing Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush to Villa Park in the January transfer window after Tottenham made ‘enquiries’ to make him part of Thomas Frank’s side, sources have told TEAMtalk.
Elsewhere, transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has shed further light on why Enzo Maresca left Chelsea and suggested the Italian may have jumped the gun by expecting to succeed Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.
Bailey explained: “The board knew about Man City doing their due diligence with Maresca, but that was not seen as a huge issue at the time.
“It’s never ideal when a manager is linked, but Man City were just doing work on potential candidates in the off-chance Guardiola goes – it was not as if they were making approaches this season.
“Did Maresca make more of it? Possibly, and let’s be honest, it clearly didn’t help this whole situation, but it was his public comments that were the domino effect that began this situation and could not be stopped.”