Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is set to become Celtic’s first outgoing player of the January window, with the Manchester City defender due to fly to Germany on Sunday to finalise a loan to FC Köln.
The 20-year-old centre-back spent the first half of the season at Celtic but made little impact. SunSport reports that Bundesliga side FC Köln are poised to win the race for his signature, with a medical and final paperwork to follow.
Key details are in place, so Simpson-Pusey is expected to travel from Manchester this weekend.
His Celtic spell never really got going. Signed in the summer from Manchester City as an option for Brendan Rodgers, he was meant to pick up senior minutes in domestic competitions. Instead, he was rarely trusted.
Three managers didn’t give him a run. Brendan Rodgers okayed the deal but did not use him in competitive action, even during a congested early schedule.
30th December 2025; Fir Park, Motherwell, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Motherwell versus Celtic; Jahmai Simpson-Pusey of Celtic
Under interim boss Martin O’Neill there was a brief opening. Simpson-Pusey started against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park, then was withdrawn after 64 minutes and did not feature again.
Since Wilfried Nancy’s appointment, the picture has stayed the same. He trained on Friday before the Glasgow derby but was not in the squad for the 3-1 defeat at Celtic Park.
All told, his league contribution was 64 minutes. For a player brought in to gain experience and offer depth, that is a stark return.
Soccer Football – Scottish Premiership – Celtic v Rangers – Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – January 3, 2026 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy before the match REUTERS/Lee Smith
A move to Köln offers a reset. Regular football is the priority, and Celtic accept that the loan has not worked for either party.
More broadly, Simpson-Pusey’s early exit underlines a shocker of summer at Celtic. Too many signings arrived without a clear pathway or alignment across managerial changes. In practice, this was a loan that never made sense.
Celtic will move on quickly. Simpson-Pusey will look to do the same, hoping Germany provides the minutes that Glasgow did not.
