Celtic are set to announce the signing of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey this week.
Brendan Rodgers is set to bolster his back-line after Celtic agreed to sign Simpson-Pusey on a year-long loan deal from Man City.
With just six first-team appearances to his name, Celtic fans will be sceptical at bringing in a player when there could be one in Dane Murray that could provide defensive cover to Rodgers’ squad next summer.
So to get the rundown on Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, 67 Hail Hail contacted Manchester City expert Srinivas Sadhanand for the latest on the Celtic-bound defender.
Man City expert tells Celtic Jahmai Simpson-Pusey
Simpson-Pusey has appeared in the Premier League and Champions League for Man City last season and it appears Celtic saw something they liked.
And looking at those performances, Sadhanand says that the Celtic manager is getting a player who can ‘break the lines at will’.
Sadhanand told 67 Hail Hail, “Simpson-Pusey joined City when he was eight and broke into the first team last season. Largely impressed at centre-back in the few games he played vs Brighton and Spurs (cameo), struggled vs Sporting against Gyokeres.
“Not the quickest, but composed, good on the ball and pretty vocal too. He breaks the lines at will, happy to play cross-field passes, quite press resistant as well.
“A weakness of his is probably his pace, haven’t seen too much of him myself since he’s played a few senior games but perhaps defending in wide areas may not suit JSP.”
Expert: Jahmai Simpson-Pusey ‘could thrive at Celtic’
Simpson-Pusey really struggled in Man City’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP last season but Sadhanand has told the Celtic fans not to ‘judge him too harshly’ on that game.
Sadhanand continued, “Can do it of course but maybe not at the level of more naturally gifted athletes. Expectations wise, I personally doubt he ever becomes a starter at City, Khusanov and Reis who are very young too are better talents.
“JSP wasn’t really helped by Akanji, who seemed to be playing through injury. City couldn’t cope with Sporting on the break as well, so he had too much to do against a freight train like Gyokeres.
“Wouldn’t personally judge him too harshly on that one performance myself, he could thrive at Celtic. Seems to read the game well and is quite composed.”
A bit of a mixed appraisal but a very honest one on a raw young talent. Whether Simpson-Pusey will be able to cope with the mental demands of playing for Celtic remains to be seen.
But in terms of potential, it does appear that Rodgers is getting someone who has the talent to become a very good covering defender for Celtic next season.
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