Celtic push to sign Man City wonderkid amid competition as ex-Rangers ace tipped to follow in dad's footsteps
The latest transfer talking points from Celtic and Rangers
Scottish champions Celtic are aiming to bolster their defensive options this summer with a move for a highly-rated England Under-18 international.
It’s reported by Football Insider that Celtic are one of a number of clubs to submit an official offer for 19-year-old defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey of Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola handed the centre-back his first-team debut and is thought at this stage to be weighing up whether to keep the Huddersfield-born footballer at the club or whether to loan him out or even sell him on a permanent basis ahead of the new campaign.
Why Celtic are interested in Jahmai Simpson-Pusey
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is a rising star in English football that has been on the books at Manchester City since the age of eight. He had multiple trials at various Premier League clubs before choosing City in 2013 and has spent the last decade climbing the ranks while making it all the way into the first team.
Simpson-Pusey City U18 side in the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League in 2024, winning the FA Youth Cup in the process that same year. During the 2024/25 campaign, he made six first team appearances for Pep Guardiola’s team, including two in the Premier League and the same amount in the Champions League.
He’s believed to be an excellent ball-playing defender with room to develop into a real star. Simpson-Pusey also notably won the Player of the Season award at Premier League 2 level to add to the hype surrounding him while winning the league title at that age group in the process.
Simpson-Pusey would add depth to Celtic’s existing squad options if signed as they aim to compete on multiple fronts but it’s worth noting that French side Strasbourg, managed by Liam Rosenior, along with a host of other European clubs are also interested in a possible transfer. It’s not been revealed by Football Insider whether Celtic have offered a loan deal or a permanent transfer offer at this stage.
Ianis Hagi tipped to follow in fathers footsteps
Romanian playmaker Ianis Hagi, who formed part of Steven Gerrard’s title-winning team in 2020/21, is likely to follow in the footsteps of his legendary footballing father Gheorghe by joining Galatasaray, according to recent reports.
Fanatik, an outlet based in Turkey, claims the champions are interested in signing the former Rangers playmaker, who is currently a free agent after leaving Ibrox.
Gheorghe Hagi, who also starred for Barcelona and Real Madrid in the 1990s, ended his career at Galatasaray and was a standout performer between 1997 and 2001, winning four titles, two Turkish Cups and notably the UEFA Cup in 2000, defeating Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal in the final.