This website has heard that Celtic have opened talks with our friends in the EPL, at Manchester City, regarding at least one high profile loan deal should we reach the Group Stages of the UEFA Champions League by dispatching Hapoel in Israel.
I flagged this possibility just the other day, having heard some rumours about it from a few places but it appears to be more than just idle speculation.
Informal discussions are being had about one or more of City’s out-of-favour players, to see if a loan deal can be done.
The relationship between the two clubs is excellent; Celtic have taken a couple of City players on loan already and the Manchester side is highly impressed by the way they’ve come on whilst they have been here. Jason Denayer got crucial European experience. Patrick Roberts is developing into one hell of a footballer, and it was telling that they were willing to let him come to the club on an extended basis in the first place, at such a crucial time in his career.
Top players at their club earn enormous salaries, and would command gigantic fees. Ironically, the market is so distorted that only rival English clubs really stand a chance of being able to afford many of them, which is why foreign loan deals is seen as a happy medium in many cases.
In addition, the club has told some of the players that they are welcome to go elsewhere for free, but even that might prove problematic if their wage demands are too high.
Until then, these guys can sit on big money contracts at City, with some not even making it into the 25 man squad.
City can afford it, but that kind of drain on resources isn’t something any top club wants in the long term.
Loan deals are always a good way of sorting that out.
If Celtic is playing football in the Champions League that gives City the perfect shop window for them, whilst it gets them at least partially off the wage bill. The upside for us, of course, is that it gives us a cheap one-season option whilst Brendan builds his own squad.
There’s no downside here for anyone.
The issue is in convincing the individual footballers.
There are some players City will realise big fees for, and they’ll be shipped out. Some of their stars will be attractive to teams in China and elsewhere, big money leagues but not necessarily the kind a top player wants to finish his career. Celtic’s global image and name, the chance to play a part in something special, a tilt at Champions League football … attractive options, and the winning of trophies to go with it.
It might be enough.
What’s important is that there’s trust between the clubs, and their manager Pepe Guardiola already has huge respect for Celtic. In addition, with Rodgers at the helm we look attractive again. Moussa Dembele, Kolo Toure and Scott Sinclair have all been tempted north of the border already.
Toure, in particular, is a player who had other options and played at City and will have many friends there … including Yaya his brother.
Sinclair played there too, and is another with a lot of friends at various clubs.
This might come to nothing, but discussions are being had.
There are players, and Yaya is most probably one of them, who’ll be out of our reach. Others will not fancy Scotland. But City are happy to take our call, they are happy to discuss this, and Liverpool and other top clubs down there will be the same. Mourinho knows Celtic, knows Celtic Park, knows the fans and the atmosphere and has always spoken warmly, and respectfully, about us. If the City option doesn’t pan out – it’s not the only one being discussed – there are others.
But our club is very definitely cycling up through the gears now, getting creative about what it wants to do. It will be next season before Brendan can really leave his mark on this team via the transfer market, although at least one quality signing is expected before the window and there’ll be a lot frustration if it doesn’t happen, but the added addition of one major talent on loan would be a way to enhance the squad temporarily and relatively cheaply, which certainly appeals.
We’re in a good place at the moment with this team.
It’ll be an interesting few weeks.
In Brendan We Trust.
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