Celtic will try and wrap up the permanent transfer of John Guidetti from Manchester City when the window reopens in the New Year.
The 22-year-old Swede has struggled to force his way into the first team picture at the Etihad Stadium, having yet to make a league appearance since joining the club in 2008. He has, though, made an impression whilst on loan at Parkhead, with six goals in nine league outings for the Scottish champions, and a further four from two appearances in the League Cup.
Such form has seen Guidetti linked with a return to the Premier League either in January or at the end of the season, despite a less than productive loan spell at Stoke City earlier this year. However, Ronny Deila has revealed that Celtic have already secured an option to sign him on a permanent basis, and he hopes to make this happen in the New Year before other clubs take note.
“With every player we bring in on loan we try to have an option to buy,” the Bhoys manager told the Daily Record. “That’s why we know what it will cost [for Guidetti]. It could be harder at the end of the season. This decision has to be taken before that. He should stay here. He will develop and achieve big things. This is the right club for him, especially at the age he is now.”
Guidetti, despite his lack of action for City, has always been highly regarded by his parent club, but it is clear that Manuel Pellegrini doesn’t see him as part of his future plans. Indeed, the Chilean admitted towards the end of the summer window that the striker, who scored 20 goals in 23 games during a loan spell in Holland with Feyenoord in 2011-12, should find a new club.
“We have maybe too many players in the squad at this moment, players that need to play, that’s very important, especially for young players,” he said in the Manchester Evening News. “John Guidetti or maybe Scott Sinclair, they may need to play in a different team, so we’ll see what happens with our squad. But at this moment, yes we have too many players.”
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