John Kennedy has told Celtic fans that they’ll have to be patient as the club attempts to sign Patrick Roberts.
A frenzy of expectation built up at the start of the week with reports that the player had informed Manchester City that a return to Celtic was his preferred option.
Turning that into reality was never going to be straightforward with Celtic looking for a permanent deal with City preferring a loan move.
Getting everything in place while other clubs try to put in counter offers makes it a complex issue even when all three parties are in general agreement.
???? JK on @patrick7roberts: “Patrick had a fantastic time here. @ManCity have him under contract. We have to be patient and see what happens.”
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) August 10, 2017
Hopes of a quick deal seem to be getting played down which leaves the state of negotiations open to interpretation.
Celtic reaching the group phase of the Champions League would certainly increase the chances of the player returning but it looks like the chances of a deal being completed, loan or permanent, won’t be sorted out until the final days of the transfer window.
