Manchester City should indeed consider selling £6.75 million-rated starlet Patrick Roberts as per Transfermarkt this summer to Celtic, but only on one condition – namely that City have a buy-back option.
Ultimately, it makes a huge sense for the youngster to remain at Celtic Park, as it is highly unlikely he’s going to get into Pep Guardiola‘s first team anytime soon at the Etihad Stadium.
The Premier League leaders are on the verge of winning the Premier League title and look set for a deep run in the Champions League as well, with that success making it difficult for youngsters to properly make it into the first team.
And that is likely to be the case next season as well when they begin afresh and have to improve to fend-off the likely challenges from the other top Premier League sides, and that means that Roberts’ chances of regular football are going to be extremely limited.
Significantly though, Roberts appears to be enjoying his football at Parkhead, having scored 11 goals and laying on 16 assists to help Brendan Rodgers‘ side seal the domestic treble last time round. Roberts had earlier reiterated comments admitting that he’d ‘love’ to be a Celtic player beyond the summer.
And while injuries have hold up his progress this season, it’s clear that he is a hugely influential player for the Scottish giants, and one that is likely to command regular football in the years to come. As such, Roberts could play a significant part in helping Celtic move to the next level under the ex-Liverpool boss.
Thus, the Premier League club may well not be considering selling Roberts, but negotiation a buy-back option as part of the deal with Celtic, it would be a win-win situation for both sides.
On the other hand, the young Englishman may not go to fulfill his potential as a winger, and as such letting him go was the right call, or he could continue his development under Rodgers to become a player is principal club may see to want in the near future, and as such they could buy him back at a later date.
On this note, sanctioning his sell in the summer would certainly be in the both sides interest, but only if Guardiola’s side negotiate a buy-back option as part of the deal.