The Manchester City man, currently on loan at Celtic, would be a great short-term addition for Aston Villa.
While Manchester City fans may be desperate to see Patrick Roberts back at the Etihad Stadium given the buzz surrounding him, the simple fact is the 20-year-old will continue to struggle for meaningful game time if he returns to the Blues at the end of his loan spell at Celtic given the competition for places and the likelihood of new additions this summer.
For that reason, Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce would be wise to consider an audacious but potentially brilliant bid to temporarily bring Roberts to the Villans for the next campaign.
Despite their impressive upturn in form Villa continue to struggle for consistency on the wings, with a whole host of hit-and-miss performers starting at various points this season.
Roberts would be no such risk, possessing the creative quality and innate talent to ultimately excel in the Premier League, and while City may feel the time is right to test him in the top flight, Villa should do all they can to convince Pep Guardiola the youngster would be best served continuing his development in the midlands.
Roberts has come on leaps and bounds at Celtic, and his versatility in attacking areas means he would be an instant hit at Villa Park if he were to join.
It would also enable him to play week in, week out in England, albeit at a lower level, potentially helping Villa back to the promised land in the process.
Then, with another full season of football under his belt, City may be unable to ignore his undeniable talent any longer.
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