Manchester City centre-back Simpson Pusey has joined FC Köln on loan and will wear the number 22 jersey.

Cologne officially announced on Tuesday the signing of England centre-back Jameer Simpson-Pousse on a half-season loan from Manchester City. Simpson-Pousse will wear the number 22 shirt at Cologne, and the contract is expected to include a €5 million buy-out clause.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City will retain the option to buy back Simpson-Pussy.

The 20-year-old Simpson Pusey came through Manchester City's youth academy and made his professional debut in the English League Cup on October 30, 2024. He then moved between the U19, U21 and first teams, making 6 appearances for the first team and winning the U21 Premier League title with them.

In the first half of this season, Simpson Pusey played on loan for Scottish Premiership giants Celtic. He only made two appearances for Celtic before Manchester City terminated his loan contract six months early.

For Cologne, who are facing a shortage of center-backs, the arrival of Simpson Pusey is undoubtedly a godsend: their two center-backs, Timo Hübels and Luca Kylian, are currently recovering from injuries and are still some time away from returning. As for Joel Schmid and Ralf van den Berg, they will miss at least the next two matches due to muscle injuries and suspensions, respectively.

After the signing was completed, Cologne's sporting director Thomas Kessler said: "Jama is a very talented player who, despite his young age, has already accumulated a wealth of experience in top leagues. He received systematic training at a top international club and has excellent footwork and stable ball control."

“His arrival gives us more options at center-back and will further enhance our squad depth. In addition, Jamai is motivated and ambitious, and his mentality will have a positive impact on the internal competition within the team.”

Simpson Pusey added: “The move to Cologne is a completely new beginning for me, and I’m very excited about it. After learning about FC Köln and its history, I can’t wait to get involved. Now, I’m really looking forward to meeting my new teammates. When I get back to Cologne, I also want to meet the club’s mascot, ‘Henness IX.’ I hope to get as much playing time as possible and help Cologne achieve its goals for this season.”