Sunderland are reportedly close to signing Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts, who will return to England this week after a loan stint in France.
According to the Northern Echo, Lee Johnson’s side are close to the former Championship star who this season has hardly played football. Roberts made just two appearances for ES Troyes AC this campaign, one of which was for the second team.
Sunderland will be Roberts’ seventh loan spell away from the Etihad Stadium since joining the club in the summer of 2015. The winger, who was once seen as the jewel of Fulham’s academy, has played for numerous clubs in both England and Europe.
Yet his most productive spell came with Celtic, where the attacker spent two seasons under Brendan Rodgers, who was a big fan of Roberts as the pair won a domestic treble in their time together in Glasgow.
With last season’s FA Cup-winning manager lauding Roberts as ‘a fantastic player’ as per the Herald in 2018, there is a talent hidden somewhere in the City attacker. And with Sunderland, the winger could return to his best.
Sunderland is perfect club for Roberts to re-earn his reputation
To say Roberts’ move to City hasn’t worked out would be an understatement, yet a move to Sunderland could be the ideal launchpad for the winger to rebuild his form and to regain his reputation as a fine winger in the English game.
Indeed, the winger has never played professionally in the third-tier. And whilst it could take some time to climatise to the routine of playing up to two games a week, Roberts has the quality to dominate the league for Sunderland.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
