Stoke City, according to the latest report from Sky Sports, are in the race to secure a potential move for Manchester City outcast Patrick Roberts ahead of the transfer deadline.

Roberts is believed to be available for a transfer with Manchester City aiming to get him off their wage bill on a permanent deal before the window comes to a close.

It is believed that Stoke are one of the sides in the race for the winger’s potential signature, while the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Bournemouth and Swansea City are also thought to be circling.

Lancashire Live have reported that Stoke and Bournemouth are looking the best placed financially to be able to agree a deal with Manchester City and reach the attacker’s wage demands.

So with Stoke in the hunt for Roberts, we asked our FLW writers whether they feel he would be a good signing for the Potters to make…

Ned Holmes

This could be a fantastic signing.

Patrick Roberts has shown glimpses of his quality while on loan in the Championship in recent years but there has been a lack of consistency.

It seems Man City are ready to let him leave permanently now, however, and that fresh start could be just what needs to kick on.

The 24-year-old could add some more firepower to Michael O'Neill's squad and some pace to run in behind as he'd likely slot in as one of the front two in the 3-5-2 that the Northern Irish boss has preferred this season.

Roberts showed during his time at Celtic that he can be a devastating player and it's just about getting him back to that level.

O'Neill has coaxed the best out of players like Tyrese Campbell and Nick Powell in recent years, while Sam Surridge certainly seems to have renewed confidence since joining.

This is worth a gamble and it's a small one, which could prove to be a genius addition in years to come.

 

 

Jacob Potter

I think this would be a smart signing by the Potters.

Roberts has a point to prove, having found regular game time hard to come by whilst with Manchester City, and I'm not surprised to hear that they're looking at moving him on permanently this summer.

The winger has shown glimpses of his potential whilst with the likes of Fulham, Middlesbrough and Derby County in the past, and he's a good enough option to have in the Championship this season, especially when he's still only 24.

Stoke City could benefit from adding another winger to their team, especially now that James McClean has recently left the club in favour of a move to Wigan Athletic.

So it's a move that would make perfect sense for all involved, and if Roberts can hit the ground running, then he could have an important role to play in Stoke City's bid for promotion into the Premier League this term.

Jordan Rushworth

This could be a signing that ticks a lot of boxes for Stoke. Roberts is clearly a player that has always had potential and he showed glimpses of that during his loan spells with Middlesbrough and Derby County but perhaps did not do enough overall in those spells.

Roberts is at the point in his career now where he needs to be playing regular first-team football and Stoke would provide him with an ideal platform to get his career back on track.

We have not seen the best of Roberts arguably since his loan spell with Celtic a few years ago and Michael O’Neill would need to identify the best way of unlocking his talent for the Potters.

He has managed to do that with Nick Powell and that suggests that there would be a chance that Roberts could become an exciting addition to their squad if this move comes off.

There is competition for his services, but Roberts will have seen that Stoke have made a strong start to the campaign and that might make them an attractive potential destination for him.