Patrick Roberts will leave Manchester in this window. It is inevitable. He is too good a player to be warming a bench. He has too much talent. He has too much pride. For the last two years he’s been a first team player and has featured in some huge games.
It’s ridiculous to expect him to stall his career now.
He should be on the pitch every week.
Patrick is a London boy by upbringing. He was an AFC Wimbledon boy and then a Fulham player. He went to City whilst a teenager. It was an enormous move for him. He was ready to make Manchester his home, to commit the best years of his career to the club.
No sooner had he arrived than he was loaned out to Celtic.
It’s funny how things happen. There’s another player who was a hugely promising youngster who moved to Manchester City, but endured a difficult time and moved to Celtic on loan, only to find his true home, his true calling, the team he was born to play for.
His loan move became a permanent one and in the end Georgios Samaras spent six years at our club, and they were very fruitful years both for the player and the team. He won four league titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup here. This is what he’ll be remembered for.
No-one has to sell Patrick Roberts on the idea of moving to Celtic.
He’s been here for two years already and he knows what this club is all about. He gets it. He’s played in massive matches here, including Champions League games. He has friends here, good friends, especially young Kieran. He loves the Celtic fans … here he will be a hero.
Home is where the heart is, and as I’ve written here many times Patrick should not consider it a failure if he leaves Manchester.
He dreamt of being a player on that big stage, but there are other stages. There are other dreams. He will have a tremendous career wherever he ends up, but here he will find something that doesn’t lie at Southampton or even at City; a place in history. He’s already been part of an Invincible team … what else can he achieve here?
Ten in a row, for a start. Imagine that place in history? Imagine a place along The Celtic Way? Patrick can have it all here … and all he has to do is put aside one ambition and embrace another. He will be happier for it. We will be better for it.
Come home Patrick.
This is where you belong.