Celtic Fans React to Loan Rumours for Simpson-Pusey

There was very little enthusiasm from Celtic fans to a report that Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is being considered for a possible loan transfer.

Manchester City are apparently looking to get the central defender out on loan with Celtic viewed as a location to develop the 19-year-old towards becoming a first team player at the Etihad.

Simpson-Pusey’s name has been mentioned on message boards recently, on Sunday evening Mark Hendry gave the rumour some authenticity with a claim that an official loan approach has been made.

Taking players on loan from Manchester City was a feature of Celtic a decade ago when sections of the stadium would be closed, getting thrown a few projects to bolster a team that lacked purpose with little aspirations or ambitions to be competing in the Champions League.

City have also moved on from the days of Dedryck Boyata and Jason Denayer, players now go out on loan withpt an option to buy or are sold for £20m with a buy back option.

Those terms might appeal to Southampton, Burnley and Ipswich as they battle for EPL survival, Celtic fans rightly have higher expectations with a degree of ownership on players with more than a token commitment that runs until the end of the season.

On Sunday the Simpson-Pusey news was released almost in tandem with details of three bids being rejected by Go Ahead Eagles for Jakob Breum.

A cynic might think that the Celtic manager is being trolled, many fans believe that it is all pointing in a certain direction regarding Brendan Rodgers.

A return to loan deals from Manchester City certainly points towards downgrading at a time when finances should open the door to a huge market of players offering them the Kuhn Deal of Champions League football and a transfer to one of Europe’s richest leagues.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Celtic make loan approach for Manchester City defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey
Full story ⬇️https://t.co/IRPefN7XYl pic.twitter.com/6HwOqEJjAF
— Mark Hendry (@mhendry92) July 27, 2025

Simpson-Pusey may well be the next Virgil van Dijk, or another Maik Nawrocki who Celtic valued at £4.2m from Lefua Warsaw two years ago.

Reports of interest in the City project comes at a time when Auston Trusty and Dane Murray have been among the successes of Celtic’s pre-season friendlies.

Despite being the target of Rodgers’ critics Trusty has excelled against Newcastle and Al Ahli, sure they weren’t competitive matches but Trusty did as much, maybe more than could be expected.

Showing exactly why it is crucial for new signings to come in early, get pre-season training and matches in alongside new team-mates- all the sort of things that the Simpson-Pusey has missed out on.

Murray looks a competent back-up for Carter-Vickers domestically, at 22 he has to get 15 plus appearances in at Celtic this season to kick his career on.

After losing to Ajax Rodgers questioned the ambitions of the club, it seems like the answer is a loan bid for Simpson-Pusey and a £1.5m bid for Breum.

They are going from one blunder to another this window, not wanting to spend serious cash, lowball offers and now a loan to develop another player.
I’d rather we just play Murray as back-up to CCV 🙈
If I’m Brendan I’m walking………fighting a losing battle.
— CMac (@CMack659) July 27, 2025

If this doesn’t tell you the board won’t back Brendan Rodgers then nothing will. Lawell has shafted him yet again.
— Patrick Livingstone (@livie67) July 27, 2025

Absolutely ridiculous move if true. Developing other clubs players is idiotic and there is NO chance of permanent move. Clear evidence Celtic have no recruitment strategy at all.
— themadmonk (@themadmonk14) July 27, 2025

Here we go scuttling around desperately trying to sign players before the season starts, who’d have thought 🤷‍♂️
— frank Gallagher (@frankieboy1887) July 27, 2025

Let’s hope it’s an option to buy don’t know anything about the lad but this is start but let’s not kid ourselves here the board are moving at a snail pace
— Brennan Bhoy (@BrennanMatin) July 27, 2025