Patrick Roberts turned down Liverpool before signing for Manchester City in £8m deal... despite supporting Reds as a boy
By MATT MORLIDGE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:59, 20 July 2015 | UPDATED: 12:32, 20 July 2015
Manchester City's new £8million signing Patrick Roberts turned down the opportunity to sign for Liverpool before agreeing a move to the Etihad Stadium.
Roberts' family are from Merseyside, but he was born and raised in west London, just a stone's throw from Fulham's Craven Cottage ground.
A highly rated winger, Roberts eventually plumped for City, despite interest from a number of the Premier League's biggest clubs - including the team he supported as a boy.
The 18-year-old had one year remaining on his Fulham contract, and City agreed an initial fee of £2m for the youngster.
Roberts is City's fourth summer signing, and the third Englishman following the arrivals of Raheem Sterling from Liverpool, Fabian Delph from Aston Villa and young Turkey striker Enes Unal from Bursaspor.
He joined up with Delph in Manchester as the duo jetted off to join their new team-mates on the pre-season tour in Australia.
Roberts played just 22 times for the Cottagers after he made his debut as a second-half substitute against City in Fulham's 5-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in March last year .
City urgently needed to add homegrown players to their ranks after the departures of James Milner, Frank Lampard, Dedryck Boyata, Scott Sinclair and Micah Richards left them with only Joe Hart and Gael Clichy before their flurry of moves in the past week.
Liverpool are intent on wrapping up a £32.5m deal for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke.
- Manchester City agree £8m deal for Fulham winger Patrick Roberts
- Roberts' family are from Merseyside but he turned down Liverpool
- He supported Reds as a boy and rejected other Premier League clubs
- Roberts flew out to join City team-mates in Australia with Fabian Delph
By MATT MORLIDGE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:59, 20 July 2015 | UPDATED: 12:32, 20 July 2015
Manchester City's new £8million signing Patrick Roberts turned down the opportunity to sign for Liverpool before agreeing a move to the Etihad Stadium.
Roberts' family are from Merseyside, but he was born and raised in west London, just a stone's throw from Fulham's Craven Cottage ground.
A highly rated winger, Roberts eventually plumped for City, despite interest from a number of the Premier League's biggest clubs - including the team he supported as a boy.
The 18-year-old had one year remaining on his Fulham contract, and City agreed an initial fee of £2m for the youngster.
Roberts is City's fourth summer signing, and the third Englishman following the arrivals of Raheem Sterling from Liverpool, Fabian Delph from Aston Villa and young Turkey striker Enes Unal from Bursaspor.
He joined up with Delph in Manchester as the duo jetted off to join their new team-mates on the pre-season tour in Australia.
Roberts played just 22 times for the Cottagers after he made his debut as a second-half substitute against City in Fulham's 5-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in March last year .
City urgently needed to add homegrown players to their ranks after the departures of James Milner, Frank Lampard, Dedryck Boyata, Scott Sinclair and Micah Richards left them with only Joe Hart and Gael Clichy before their flurry of moves in the past week.
Liverpool are intent on wrapping up a £32.5m deal for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke.
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