Stuart Webber has finally got his man, after completing the loan signing of long-term target Patrick Roberts for Norwich City.
The Canaries’ sporting director has begun his Premier League recruitment drive with the season-long addition of the Manchester City winger, who previously won three Scottish titles with Celtic.
The 22-year-old former England youth international was signed by the top-flight giants from Fulham for around £12million in 2015 but after success in Glasgow he endured a frustrating stint in Spain with Girona – so joins Daniel Farke’s squad with a point to prove.
“He is a player I have personally tried to sign twice before,” Webber revealed. “Once at Huddersfield, when he went to Celtic, and here 12 months ago when he went to Girona because they wouldn’t let him come to the Championship.
“That was fine. We respect Manchester City for that. So I have been aware of him and so has Daniel. He is different to the wide options we have got. Different to Emi (Buendia), different to Onel (Hernandez), different to Todd (Cantwell).
“He has had a difficult year at Girona, which we like. He is honest and candid about that and how much resilience he has built up during that time. We look at him and he has unbelievable talent.”
Roberts was part of the England team which won the Uefa European U17 Championship in 2014 and in 78 games with Celtic the tricky attacker, with a cultured left foot, scored 18 goals and set up another 26.
Webber continued: “He’ll fit the group perfectly in terms of his personality. That is the most important thing to fit into this group. He is an exciting player who brings something different.
“With Daniel’s ability as a coach he gets the best out of ones like this. Patrick himself has had a challenging time and he is ready to show England what he has got.
“Other than at Fulham he has not played a lot here. There is a bit where he feels, at 22, maybe forgotten about a bit. To show that steely determination fits our recruitment profile. It is a smart choice.
“A loan, it hasn’t cost us a lot and Manchester City have been very good with us and we appreciate that. We think it is a smart bit of business.
“If you look at our budgets there will have to be two or three Patrick type deals when we don’t spent a lot of dough.”