Saturday 29 July 2017 08:32, UK
Brendan Rodgers says Celtic will be in for Patrick Roberts if the forward is allowed to leave Manchester City this season.
Roberts helped Celtic to a domestic treble during a season-long loan in Parkhead last term, but the 20-year-old was included in Pep Guardiola's pre-season City squad and featured in this week's 4-1 win over Real Madrid.
Rodgers would love Roberts back as Celtic aim to secure qualification to the Champions League group stage, particularly with Moussa Dembele ruled out until mid-September, but the Hoops boss acknowledges the decision is out of his hands.
"It's something we would look at," he said. "Pat would be amazing for here. I think everyone could see that.
"But it all goes down to, one, Manchester City and how they see his future there. He has gone away on tour with them and got some game time. They will make a decision after that.
"Two, the boy might not want to come back. He might want to play in the Premier League if he has somewhere to do that. He might fancy a spell in Europe. But what he knows is that he has a great place here if it comes to that.
"The club can bring him here. It's more going to be whether the player sees this as the next step for him."
Roberts, as a goalscoring wide player, is the type of forward reinforcement Rodgers is seeking to support two out-and-out strikers in Leigh Griffiths and Dembele, who is a target for Marseille.
"As far as we are concerned Moussa's here for this period," Rodgers said. "It's us getting through this next qualification phase.
"It's clear that Moussa is going to be out until September so then we would probably need to bring another one in of a certain type because you can't have three top strikers here.
"That is the reality. In Scotland, you can't accommodate that. We maybe look at a winger who can also play as a striker."
