Manchester City sell Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to FC Köln in €7.5m permanent deal

Manchester City have agreed to sell centre-back Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to FC Köln on a permanent basis, with the Bundesliga club exercising their option to convert his loan into a full transfer from July 1.

City will receive an initial €5.5 million for the 20-year-old, with add-ons capable of lifting the total to €7.5 million. The club have also secured a buy-back clause and matching rights as part of the agreement, retaining a degree of control over the defender’s future.

Simpson-Pusey made 11 appearances for Köln during the second half of last season as the club finished 14th in the Bundesliga. The move to the RheinEnergieStadion represents his first permanent senior club outside of City, where he made six first-team appearances across the 2024-25 season — in the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup.

His most notable outing for City came at Brighton in the Premier League, when he was thrust into the starting XI during an injury crisis. Manager Pep Guardiola was effusive in his praise afterwards, saying: “Jahmai Simpson-Pusey played really good again, with this composure — the duels, everything was good. We have a central defender to help us for the next years. I’m really pleased. Always, there is good news when a situation is going bad — and this is one of them.”

Guardiola also acknowledged the difficulty of the circumstances, adding: “Normally, the young lads come in with the support of the team — Rodri in front of them, the best Kyle Walker and other defenders. He’s playing in a position that is difficult for him, and he performed unbelievably.”

Before his move to Köln, Simpson-Pusey spent the first half of last season on loan at Celtic, but the stint failed to deliver regular football. Then-manager Brendan Rodgers omitted him from both the Champions League and Europa League squads, and he managed just one league start under Martin O’Neill before being recalled by City.

At academy level, Simpson-Pusey had been one of City’s most promising young defenders. He was named Premier League 2 Player of the Year and helped the club lift the FA Youth Cup in 2024, performances that earned him his senior debut opportunities.