According to The Independent, City are set to make Patrick Roberts their first signing of the summer, moving ahead of the other top English clubs in the race to sign the youngster from Fulham. This comes soon after reports The Blues were set to make a bid for the Cottagers man.
If he joins, he’ll become the first of many news faces at Eastlands this summer, and is likely to be a hot prospect for the future, which is why he’s being so heavily linked with England’s other top clubs. With just a year left to run on his current deal at Craven Cottage, he isn’t likely to be all that expensive in the long run either, and could end up being a bargain if he’s a success story at City.
The 18-year-old has allegedly been offered a new contract at Fulham, with The Cottagers keen to see him reach full potential and concerned about this not being achieved were he to move to a big club. However, he reportedly believes he can make an impact at a big side and wants to make the move. Nevertheless, it’s easy to see him making a temporary move to another club, perhaps in the Championship, in order for him to continue his development unhindered.
UPDATE: ESPN are reporting that City have agreed a deal with Fulham for Roberts, worth an initial fee of £5 million which could rise to £10 million with performance-related add-ons.
