Fulham F.C. manager Kit Symons has revealed midfielder Patrick Roberts is currently in talks with English Premier League giants Manchester City over a potential move to the Etihad Stadium.
The England youth international, who has already handed in a transfer request at Craven Cottage, is expected to join City for a fee of around £11 million in the coming days.
“It’s very difficult,” Symons said. “He’s handed in a transfer request now and he’s only got one year left on his contract.
“We want to keep all our best players and build for the future but there comes a point where that becomes very difficult and you have to do what’s right for the football club. It’s progressing it’s fair to say. He’s in serious talks so we’ll have to wait and see.
“It’s a shame to lose one of our bright young talents but I need to have people that are committed and want to play for the football club.
“I sat down with Pat and his parents and told them how much we value him and want him.
“But they’d made their minds up and it then becomes quite difficult. We did all we could to keep him but good luck to him if this is what’s going to happen. We’ll move on, this is a big club with a lot of good players here.”
Roberts, 18, tallied one assist in 17 Championship appearances for Fulham last season.
Mourinho confirms Blues’ bid for Stones
Chelsea F.C. boss Jose Mourinho has confirmed the club have made a bid for highly-rated Everton defender John Stones.
“We made a bid, the bid is there and Everton have the power to accept it or refuse it,” Mourinho told Sky Sports HQ.
“”This is between John Stones and Everton and I don’t speak about him because he is an Everton player.
“If we made a bid it is because we like the player, we don’t make bids for players we don’t like, but we respect Everton and respect every club that has a player and it is up to them – everything is in their hands.”
According to reports, the Toffees rejected the Chelsea’s initial bid of £20 million for the England international. Furthermore, Everton manager Roberto Martinez has insisted Everton are not a selling club.
“We are not a selling club,” Martinez said. “We are not a club that needs to be worried about what other clubs put through the press.”
Now then, where will Stones ply his trade next season?
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