“We’ve taken him on loan” – Manager confirms transfer from Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City are expected to finalise the loan transfer of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, as per their manager Brendan Rodgers.

The 19-year-old has been on the radar of several clubs this summer as part of City’s growing strategy to loan out top youth talent into competitive senior football and fast-track their development within the game.

Following the success of previous loan spells involving young defenders like Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Callum Doyle, Manchester City have once again opted to test a promising talent in a high-pressure, first-team environment.

Simpson-Pusey sign a professional contract with Manchester City in 2023 and quickly established himself as a standout performer in the club’s youth ranks, earning praise for his aggressive defending and on-ball confidence.

The teenager played a key role during the club’s UEFA Youth League campaign and was included in first-team matchday squads in 2024, making his professional debut in October away to Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup.

Six days later, and Simpson-Pusey was given his first start and made his UEFA Champions League debut in a heavy defeat to Sporting CP, before making his first Premier League appearance and start in a 2–1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion.

His progression follows a similar developmental path to that of Max Alleyne – another Manchester City centre-back currently in the spotlight amid loan interest from the English Championship.

Now, speaking as relayed by The Herald’s David Irvine, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the club’s expectation of securing City centre-back Jahmai Simpson-Pusey on loan for the forthcoming 2025/26 season.

“He’s a very gifted young player. He has come through the system at Manchester City, his profile fits very much what we want from our centre halves,” Rodgers said.

“He’s quick, he’s dominant, he’s a good defender, and of course, at Celtic your centre-backs need to be able to progress the ball and that’s a big strength of his. We’ve taken him on loan for a year.”

The Parkhead club’s boss continued, “We always need all our centre-backs at Celtic. You play so many games, so many intense games and he will join our squad.

“He is obviously a little bit behind because he hasn’t played so many games over the course of pre-season but we have brought him through for the rest of the season and hopefully we can close that one out today.”

The move will represent the first senior loan of Simpson-Pusey’s career, but one that has been carefully planned by City’s loan and development team, who are in favour of challenging their emerging talents in top-flight European leagues.

From Celtic’s perspective, the addition of a young, high-potential centre-back comes amid an intent to increase defensive depth while maintaining a style of football focused on ball retention and high-tempo transitions, and Simpson-Pusey’s ability to carry the ball from the back and anticipate danger in one-on-one duels fits Brendan Rodgers’ tactical preferences.

As with many of Manchester City’s top-level loan agreements, the club are unlikely to insert any ability for Celtic to buy the player, instead ensuring they remain closely aligned with Simpson-Pusey’s development in Glasgow. However, should the loan be a success, the club may follow a similar path seen with players such as Callum Doyle, using the experience as reasoning behind increased market value.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey will now become the latest in a string of Manchester City youth exports this summer, in a clear signal that the Premier League giants continue to bet on the long-term future of their homegrown talent, with the likes of Max Alleyne, Vitor Reis, Sverre Nypan, and Claudio Echeverri all set for temporary spells away from the Etihad Stadium.