Manny Perez and Andrew Gutman join Celtic with eye to the future

Us on deadline day to PL ‘ We say hello and you say goodbye, hello hello( ) we don’t know why you say goodbye we say hello..

Think the day has taken its toll..

 

Had to do a double take there. Thought that was a picture of me playing 5s.

 

NCFC Youth Academy and United States U-20 National Team standout Manny Perez has signed with Scottish Premiership side Celtic FC and has been loaned back to North Carolina FC, pending league and federation approval as well as the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate.

The move is a testament to the hard work the young defender put in with the NCFC Youth Academy under the direction of current North Carolina FC assistant coach John Bradford as well as former NCFC defender and Academy coach Greg Shields. Perez is the latest youth product to join the professional ranks and his move serves as the most recent example of the club’s strong youth-to-pro pipeline. Perez will be the third Academy player on NCFC’s active roster, joining local products DJ Taylor and Dre Fortune.

“I’d like to thank Celtic FC for signing me and allowing me to continue my development at my hometown club,” said Perez. “I’m excited to start my professional career with NCFC and look forward to working with my new teammates and contribute to the success of the club.”

The 19-year old was a critical part of the NCFC Youth Academy from 2014-2017. In his final two Academy seasons, he appeared in 62 matches and recorded 20 goals. He also earned U.S. Soccer Development Academy Player of the Year honors for the East Conference in 2016 and was named to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Best XI in the East Conference in 2017.

“This is such an exciting moment for Manny, and I couldn’t be happier for him,” said Bradford. “This move will be a massive step in his development and a great opportunity for him to begin his professional career. In our years with him in our academy, our staff knew there were big things ahead from him, even at a young age. It has been wonderful to see him earn DA accolades, college accolades, U.S. Youth National Team opportunities, and now starting his professional pathway. I am so proud of him and look forward to seeing him excel.”

Perez spent the last two years playing for NC State where he appeared in 29 matches, scored six goals and added nine assists. He was named ACC Freshman of the Year in 2017, and was ranked the No. 2 freshman on Top Drawer Soccer’s Freshman Top 100 List at the end of the 2017 season.

“We are thrilled to have Manny re-join NCFC on loan from Celtic FC,” said North Carolina FC President and GM Curt Johnson. “Celtic is one of the top clubs in the world with a storied tradition both on and off the field and we look forward to partnering with them.”

In 2016, Perez appeared as a substitute in the Carolina RailHawks (now North Carolina FC) match against West Ham United of the English Premier League, earning significant minutes while measuring up against some of the top talent in soccer. A year later, Perez once again featured for North Carolina FC and impressed as a substitute in the club’s draw with EPL side Swansea City.

As a member of the U.S. U-20 Youth National Team, Perez was instrumental in helping the United States qualify for the 2019 U-20 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru, as the team captured the CONCACAF U-20 Men’s Championship last November.

Perez is expected to join NCFC at the start of preseason next week. North Carolina Football Club is excited to see Perez take the next step in his career and looks forward to developing even more talent through its youth-to-professional pipeline.

North Carolina FC’s roster includes goalkeeper Alex Tambakis, defenders Sam Brotherton, Aaron Guillen, Timmy Mehl, Steven Miller, Manny Perez and DJ Taylor, midfielders Austin da Luz, Dre Fortune, Victor Igbekoyi, Austin Panchot, Graham Smith and Duval Wapiwo and forwards Yamikani Chester, Donovan Ewolo, Robert Kristo, Marios Lomis and Ben Speas.
https://www.northcarolinafc.com/news_article/show/990561

 

Good stuff from the American lads.

 

Good fir them and hopefully their development is good enough for them to see 1st team action soon.

However, this is hardly exciting news. They are not goin to walk into the team nor even challenge fir places. So what’s the big * hoo ha? I can only imagine this has been dressed as a deadline day signing to appease us when we still don’t get the required reinforcements in the back 4. So it looks like we’ve signed hunners. But still no CB or RB.
Ridiculous.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Perez is still young (both are) but at 22 should Gutman not be loaned to a UK club to get him more used to well everything, weather, food, people, culture and style of football. All things that players, agents or clubs blame when a player fails. According to his wiki page he's never kicked a ball outside of the USA.
Also said he was offered a trial at sevco but he's now joined the good guys. So welcome bhoys and good luck.

 

What a beautiful smell. Hendry with a hint of Hayes.

 

@obafgkmlt

 

Perez saying * the Queen and * the rangers on Instagram is enough for me to make me love him

 

Doesn’t really matter but it’s done so we don’t feel as hard done by come deadline day. If we hadn’t announced anything today there would have been mayhem. But we have announced 3 which were done deals before today and Brown contract so everyone is delighted now!

 

They might not have been.

 

One thing some people maybe have not considered: the US "soccer" season starts in march.

It's one month more these guys could be playing football and being assessed. Specially since I really have doubts about the level of whatever league North Carolina FC plays at. In fact, similarly, the ukrainian league is on a break until late february, while I think their standards are a bit more challenging than the US second tier.

If the goal is to develop these guys and not just get rid of signings that have no place in the squad, it would make more sense to loan them to an european club, even if it's * Kilmarnock.

One could say it would be hard to arrange another loan in a few hours, but it is not as if those players haven't been spoken about here for weeks.

 

Wasn’t him that said it, was his mate reading comments.

 

Either way, he keeps good company lol

 

This is all a bit unusual, but I like it. Hopefully it works out. Gutman seems too old for a loan back to that level though. I guess I'm conflicted

 

I'll keep an eye on the lad, make sure he doesn't get into trouble

 

Really dont understand why they have been loaned to were they are. Should be trying to get them used to the game here and a player at 22 should defo be able to start for an spfl team if we see him as having a chance to improve us.

 

christ will these guys get a game, i doubt it

but welcome

 

And why would Kilmarnock want to sign some unknown Americans playing a pretty low level when their challenging for a top 3 league finish? Both would do well to sign for a premiership team- maybe Gutman bottom 2 teams. I'm surprised at Gutman tbh 22 years old whos highest level he's played at currently is 4th tier of American football, Perez has at least played u20s internationally and his twitter picture banner gives him pass marks.

 

I've never thought of it this way. Suppose its modern football scouting strategy.