Celtic finally make Patrick Roberts loan deal official
Will he or won’t he? It’s been dragging on alllllllll Summer but finally, oor Paddy Bhoy is back!!
The signing we’ve all been waiting for since he left us after the Scottish Cup Final has finally came to fruition. Patrick (Paddy) Roberts is back in a Celtic jersey tonight and not just any jersey either. He has the coveted number 7 one.
I know a lot gets made of the poor number 7’s we’ve had over the years. Miku, Juninho and Ciftci to name a few, but can Paddy now join the illustrious ranks of World class number 7’s we’ve had?
Jinky and Henrik having set that bar high, but Roberts was beginning to live up to it the last time he was in the Hoops.
He also is well aware of what that number means to the club, noting that in remarks to the Celtic club website.
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“It’s a massive honour to wear this iconic Celtic number,” said Roberts.
“I know some of the great players who have worn it in the past and I will wear it with pride.”
He’s only here on loan again, this time for just one season and although we don’t know the ins and outs of the deal just now one has to believe this deal may come with an option to buy at the end of his loan spell.
His return to Manchester City didn’t lend itself to as many opportunities as one would’ve thought possible. Instead, Roberts’ spot seemed gone before he ever returned down South. Pep Guardiola seemed intrigued, but the board seemed content on buying instead of growing from within.
That certainly seems like Celtic’s opening for a loan-to-buy deal. If last season was any indication, Roberts could have a major impact on the Champions League fortunes of Celtic this time around.
Let’s remember, Roberts finished last season with five goals in the final nine matches alone last season. He finished with 20 league appearances and 12 starts after a rough first six months on loan due to injury as well.
Roberts certainly was keen on a return when decision time came over his future at City.
"“We had a good end to the season, which obviously helped, and playing for these great fans was also a factor coming back. It’s great to be back and I can’t wait to get going again.“The manager has been brilliant with me. He obviously wanted me back and so did Celtic. I had a decision to make after pre-season and when that came around Brendan Rodgers was obviously a huge factor in that."
Let’s enjoy this talent while we can and hopefully he’s the difference for us, not just in the SPFL but in the toughest league of them all. The Champions League!!