Realistic Expectations for Manchester City's Summer Signing Patrick Roberts

Given Manchester City’s aging squad and the Premier League’s home-grown quota rules, which dictate every side in the division must name at least eight home-grown players in their 25-man squad, it’s little wonder their transfer strategy has shifted this summer.

The incomings at the Etihad aren’t done yet, but so far Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph, Enes Unal and Patrick Roberts have arrived. All, with the exception of Unal, are English, and Delph, at 25, is the oldest. 

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.@patrick7roberts, take a bow! #cityontour pic.twitter.com/VNQhbEwwdL

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) July 23, 2015"

The notion of youth development appears to be changing. The days of simply nurturing local talent in a club’s academy are long gone. It’s now not just about taking talent at a very young age from the surrounding area, but also bringing in promising young players across the world and honing their skills to fit a particular style of play.

You will see a lot more of that at City and other clubs in the near future. And with the City Football Academy (CFA) now fully up and running after its opening in early December, there’s no better place for young players to develop than at City.

It's a £150 million facility that has quickly become the envy of British football. No other club on these shores can match City's academy and first-team training facilities. The attention to detail was remarkable, and the fact that a number of current and ex-Manchester United players have enrolled their children at the CFA speaks volumes. 

There appears to be an excellent crop of youngsters set to emerge from the CFA and City's EDS side. On the club's pre-season tour, which has taken them to Australia and Vietnam, Kelechi Iheanacho, Manu Garcia, Brandon Barker, Jason Denayer, Cameron Humphries, Marcos Lopes and Jose Angel Pozo have all featured heavily. It is expected that at least three of those will play a role in the first team during the coming campaign. 

But what about Roberts? 

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I am very happy to announce that I've signed for @MCFC I'm absolutely over the moon and can't wait to get started! pic.twitter.com/U52Y0ljHu6

— Patrick Roberts (@patrick7roberts) July 20, 2015"

"

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone @FulhamFC been unbelievable to me the 5 years I was there! I wish you all a very good season

— Patrick Roberts (@patrick7roberts) July 20, 2015"

He is an 18-year-old winger-cum-forward signed from Fulham. He has impressed hugely at youth and youth international level and appears to be a player with significant scope for improvement—blessed with natural ability and fearlessness in possession.

He made his Premier League debut against City in March 2014 and went on to make 19 appearances for the Fulham first team before his switch to the Etihad. The deal could cost up to £11 million, but the initial payment is thought to be much lower. 

Pace and trickery appear to be his main assets. He is a player capable of receiving the ball in tight spaces and producing a piece of skill that allows him to emerge and pick a pass. Creativity is his forte. 

Physically, he needs time to develop. The rigours of regular Premier League action would surely be too much for a player with such a diminutive physique. City, you feel, have bought Roberts for the future rather than with any immediate impact in mind.

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Indeed, in his recent interview with City TV on the club’s official website, Manuel Pellegrini, the City manager, hinted Roberts was one for the future.

“We will see what happens with him this year,” said Pellegrini. “This club is not just thinking about this season, I think it’s important to see for the future also.

“Maybe if Patrick continues his development as a player, he will also be a very important player for us.”

A season in Patrick Vieira's EDS team would certainly help him improve technically. City want all of their players, regardless of age, to be comfortable in a possession-based style of football where attack is the primary concern. 

Vieira's young side certainly adhere to those principles. The quality of football the EDS side produced during the last campaign was impressive. 

However, to prepare Roberts physically, perhaps a loan move would also help. Vieira admitted himself in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report earlier this month that academy football is no match for what he calls "man football" in terms of physicality. 

Roberts has time on his side and looks to have the talent needed to impact the top of the game. City must now devise a plan that readies him for first-team action, but don't expect him to make too many appearances for Pellegrini's team this season. 

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and follows the club from a Manchester base. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.