Manchester City’s Patrick Roberts, currently on loan at Celtic, has received praise from Barcelona manager Luis Enrique after the 19-year-old put in an impressive display against the Catalan side.
Enrique, who currently manages the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, knows a quality winger when he sees one and has backed Roberts to go on to be successful.
The youngster joined City from Fulham last summer and was sent on loan to Scotland in an 18-month deal which began in January.
Impressing last season Roberts scored eight goals in sixteen matches and seems to have hit the ground running under new boss Brendan Rodgers north of the border after he dazzled in a first half display.
After his side beat Celtic 3-1 in Dublin in a pre-season friendly, the Barcelona boss said: “Patrick Roberts is a great player and has a great future in the game.”
Enrique also believes that Roberts will prove to be “important for Celtic” over the course of the season.
Next season for Roberts?
With Celtic expected to comfortably win the Scottish Premier League under Rodgers, it should prove a good stepping stone for young Roberts who will seek to impress new City boss Pep Guardiola.
With the blues not necessarily blessed with too many options up top, Roberts will hope that an impressive spell on loan this season will lead to him being given opportunities back in Manchester.
After signing Nolito, who joins Sergio Aguero, Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfried Bony up top. Roberts would find first team football hard to come by at the moment, but his chance at the club may be on the horizon.
If the youngster can prove himself to be a real talent this season, and with the future of Wilfried Bony uncertain as the Ivorian is being linked with a move away from the Etihad stadium after failing to impress since joining the club from Swansea City for £30 million, Roberts may well be in pole position to force himself into the City squad next season.