Transfer Centre

Celtic 'make approach to sign Patrick Roberts from Manchester City'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 19 April 2020

Celtic are reportedly interested in bringing Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough, back to the club on a permanent basis.

Celtic have reportedly made an approach to sign Patrick Roberts from Manchester City on a permanent basis.

The 23-year-old spent two-and-a-half years on loan with the Scottish champions from 2016 to 2018, scoring 18 goals in 79 appearances for the club.

TEAMtalk now reports that the Bhoys are eager to bring Roberts back to Glasgow permanently and have tabled a £3m bid for the winger.

However, Man City are still undecided on the player's long-term future and so have rejected the approach for now, although it remains on the table should they change their mind.

Roberts has featured just three times for Man City since joining from Fulham in a deal worth a reported £12m in 2015, being shipped out on loan to Girona, Norwich City and currently Middlesbrough, in addition to Celtic.

The attacker's contract at the Etihad Stadium expires in 2022 and Man City have the option to extend that by a further year, which they are considering triggering in the hope that he could still break into Pep Guardiola's first-team plans.

Roberts spent the first half of this season on loan at Norwich but saw his deal cut short after featuring just four times - the same number of appearances he has made for Middlesbrough since joining in January.