Has Patrick Roberts discovered the drawback of choosing Celtic over Southampton?

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Southampton wanted to sign Patrick Roberts on loan from Manchester City but the winger demanded to return to Celtic instead.

It was only Patrick Roberts’ desperation to return to Celtic this summer that saw Brendan Rodgers reunite with the winger via a season-long loan.

According to The Mail, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was unconvinced about the benefits of handing Roberts a second stint at Parkhead after he spent the last 18 months honing his talent north of the border. City, who signed the one-time Fulham prodigy for £11 million back in 2015, would rather have sent the 20-year-old on loan to Premier League rivals Southampton instead.

There are arguments that can be made for both sides. For one, Roberts is a far better player for having worked under Brendan Rodgers, an esteemed developer of talent, at Celtic last season.

He scored 11 goals, produced 19 assists, won three domestic trophies and picked up valuable Champions League experience – even scoring against his parent club in the group stages.

Southampton would not have offered Roberts either European football or the chance to hone a winning mentality in a title race this season. However, The Saints could have given him the chance to show City that he is ready for Premier League football.

Roberts may be shining at Celtic but he’s shining in an inferior league.

Unfairly disadvantaged?

Yet, Aidy Boothroyd’s contentious decision to leave one of England’s brightest prospects out of the recent Under-21 squad over the international break is perhaps the clearest indication yet that playing in Scotland does have its, admittedly unfair, handicaps.

Roberts stated that he had no regrets about snubbing England for Scotland over the summer, per The Scottish Sun, but his omission from the Young Lions squad does raise questions about whether those plying their trade north of the border are unfairly overlooked.

Chris Sutton certainly thinks so, wondering out loud last week why Roberts’ Celtic team-mate Scott Sinclair was nowhere to be seen in Gareth Southgate’s England plans, per the Scotsman. Only Alan Thompson and Fraser Forster have ever won Three Lions caps while playing for Celtic.

Would Roberts have made it into Boothroyd’s squad if he was playing in the Premier League with Southampton? He certainly would have had a better chance.