West Ham United are plotting a move for Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts next summer. According to recent reports in the English media, the Hammers are ready to pounce on the English youngster’s signature but might face some competition from fellow Premier League rivals Leicester City in pursuit of his services. Roberts is currently out on loan at Celtic and has done well in his time in Glasgow this season.
The Premier League duo are set to clash heads in a £15m deal next summer to try and convince the English midfielder to switch clubs ahead of the new campaign. The Hammers are ready to compete for Roberts and firm up their long-term interest after missing out on his services when he made a move to Manchester City. The 21-year-old was being monitored by David Moyes in January but the Foxes made a move first to try and acquire his signature as part of the Mahrez package.
The English starlet signed for the Citizens in the summer of 2015 from Fulham and went on to make three appearances before being loaned out to ply his trade at Celtic Park and continue with his development. He is now in his third season with the Scottish giants and has also previously attracted the attention of Ligue 1 outfit, Nice. It is expected that City boss Pep Guardiola will let him depart Manchester if the right offer comes in for the player next summer.
The east London outfit are currently sitting in 12th place in the Premier League standings with a tally of 27 points in 26 league matches. They have been hard to beat in the league over the last few weeks and have done well after the appointment of David Moyes in November last year.
However, the Hammers find themselves just 3 points above the dreaded drop zone with 12 matches left in this campaign. The potential addition of Roberts will undoubtedly bolster Moyes’ midfield options for the coming seasons and help them in their quest to survive in the top tier of English football in the near future.
Roberts has featured in 12 matches for Celtic this season and has found the back of the net once while also providing 3 assists in all competitions. He has the potential to be a top-class player in the future if he can continue with his development and improve his game in the coming seasons. Only time will tell what lies ahead in the future of the English winger and whether Moyes will be able to lure him to ply his trade at the London Stadium next season.
