An announcement of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey’s loan move to Celtic is seemingly imminent, as Brendan Rodgers adds a highly sought-after defender to his squad.
Brendan Rodgers confirmed his expectation of Simpson-Pusey’s move before the Scottish Premiership opener against St Mirren on Sunday, where the young defender was in attendance.
With a crucial Champions League play-off tie on the horizon, the manager has stressed the importance of adding quality to key areas of his squad, also speaking highly of his incoming defender.
He was involved in Premier League and Champions League action for his club last season, and if his Celtic switch works out as planned, it could be mutually beneficial.
Simpson-Pusey isn’t the first player to join the Hoops on loan from City – far from it, in fact. Here, we look at the five players to have made the temporary switch from the Etihad to Celtic Park before him, and rate each of them.
Celtic’s loan signings from Manchester City rated
Georgios Samaras: 8/10
If Georgios Samaras’ rating was based on his entire Celtic career, he would be due a perfect rating – but even though his loan move lasted just half a season, it fully justified his permanent switch to Celtic Park.
A cult hero for fans of Celtic and the Greek national team alike, Samaras joined on loan for the second half of the 2007-08 season, making the perfect first impression with a goal on his debut against Kilmarnock.
Despite often being used as a substitute, Samaras racked up six goals across his five months on loan at Parkhead, helping Gordon Strachan’s side overcome a seven-point deficit to win the league title in sensationally dramatic fashion.
Jason Denayer: 9/10
Jason Denayer had only just turned 19 when he made the loan switch to Celtic in 2014, and just like Samaras, he made the perfect first impression with a goal on his debut.
Throughout the 2014-15 season, he enjoyed a stellar partnership at the back with Virgil Van Dijk in the Dutchman’s second and final season in Glasgow.
Denayer managed six goals across the season, impressive for a central defender.
Breaking into the Belgium team while still at Celtic, Denayer went on to play for the likes of Sunderland, Galatasaray and Lyon, and is remembered fondly for his role in a Celtic team which won a League and League Cup double.
John Guidetti: 7/10
Denayer wasn’t the only youngster brought from City in Ronny Deila’s first season at Parkhead – Guidetti followed him a few weeks later, enjoying a sensational start with nine goals in his first two months in hoops.
With bags of charisma and an eye for the spectacular, the Swede was an instant fan-favourite – but amid a run of ten games without a goal, he lost his starting place to Leigh Griffiths for the second half of the campaign.
Despite this, he still managed to come up with the most memorable moment of his Celtic career that February, a stunning late equaliser in a Europa League tie against Inter Milan.
Despite not having the consistency of Denayer, he is similarly well-remembered.
Patrick Roberts: 8/10
Patrick ‘Paddy’ Roberts spent two-and-a-half years at Celtic Park – more than the likes of Van Dijk, Nicolas Kuhn and Jeremie Frimpong – but was never permanently a Celtic player.
He showed flashes of genius as a teenager in his initial six months under Deila, but Brendan Rodgers changed his career.
The 2016-17 season saw Roberts establish himself as a first-team starter and frequent scorer of incredible goals. By the time his 18-month loan was over, the clamour for his return was impossible to ignore.
His final year saw him score in a memorable Champions League win over Anderlecht, but injuries and the form of James Forrest saw his impact lessened.
Another hugely liked player among Hoops fans, he is now embarking on a return to the Premier League with Sunderland.
Daniel Arzani – 1/10
Celtic’s only unsuccessful loan from City was, unfortunately, the most recent one. Highly rated in his native Australia, Daniel Arzani moved to Celtic Park on a two-year loan in the summer 2018.
Keen to make an impact on his debut, Arzani was struck by disaster as he tore his ACL after coming on as a substitute, ruling him out for almost a year.
The Iranian-born winger continued to struggle with his fitness in his second season, making just one further first-team appearance.
Now aged 26, Robbie Keane has just brought him to Ferencvaros, giving him another crack at a major European club.