Celtic are reportedly keen to bring Manchester City’s Patrick Roberts back to the club next season.
Rangers’ Myles Beerman in action with Celtic’s Patrick Roberts
According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are prepared to pay £500,000 in order to take Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts on loan again next season.
City forked out £5million rising to £11million (The Guardian) to sign Roberts from Fulham in the summer of 2015, but he made just three first-team appearances before being sent out on loan to Celtic in January 2016.
Then-Bhoys manager Ronny Deila brought Roberts in on an 18-month loan deal, and he impressed with six goals in 13 games before Deila was replaced by Brendan Rodgers at the end of last season.
Under Rodgers, Roberts has taken his game to another level, grabbing seven goals and nine assists in 29 league appearances – though only 17 of those games have come as a starter, whilst he even scored against City in the Champions League in 2016
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
Roberts’ loan deal is set to end in a matter of weeks, but The Scottish Sun report that Celtic are still hoping to tempt City boss Pep Guardiola into sending Roberts back to Glasgow next season.
It’s claimed that Celtic are prepared to pay City a fee of £500,000 in order to take Roberts on loan again next season, giving him valuable first-team football and added Champions League experience to prepare him for life in the City first team.
Celtic’s Patrick Roberts in action against Manchester City
The report notes that City boss Guardiola wants to take Roberts on the club’s pre-season tour of the United States in order to get a better look at the winger, meaning Celtic may not receive an immediate answer to their loan bid.
Should Guardiola decide that Roberts isn’t quite ready for the City first team, then Celtic will be well-placed at the front of the queue to take him on loan, especially given the strong relations between the two clubs in recent years.
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