Neil Cameron: Celtic signing Patrick Roberts for a record fee of £7m would still be a bargain

This could happen. Compromises would have to be reached, the player himself has to want it and much depends on whether another English Premier League side come in for a 20-year-old whose exquisite performances in Scotland have not gone unnoticed down south.

For all the winger is a talent, Roberts is not going to make it at Manchester City. This is a football club which can with one or two notable exceptions sign anyone in the world. Being surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium is no disgrace.

Read more: Virgil van Dijk could fund Patrick Roberts on a permanent deal to Celtic

Interestingly, Brendan Rodgers initially wasn’t completely won over by the little Englishman. The Celtic manager’s attackers must know how to defend, to close down, to harry the opposition to within an inch of their lives.

This did not come natural to a man who when he signed on loan 18 months ago at Parkhead made the bold statement that he wanted to be as good as Lionel Messi. However, Rodgers got the message home – doesn’t he always – and in the final four months of the season it was a joy to watch Roberts jinking and dribbling past opponents.

And so the situation now is this: Celtic are ready to offer £5million. City want a few extra million. Celtic therefore must decide whether to break their own rules and pay more than they have for years in a fee and probably wages.

They should do it. Just this once. It would go against the principals of Peter Lawwell but, come one, when have principals and football gone together. If Celtic are ever going to dig that bit deeper than they would be entirely comfortable with then now is the time.

City have so far spent £8m on Roberts, the other £4m which has been quoted in terms of his fee were add-ons which have yet to kick in. Fulham, it is believed, would receive a cut for the player they brought though.

Now a couple of million to Sheik Mansour, whose family owns rather a lot of oil in the UAE, is nothing but that doesn’t mean that City are going to all of a sudden turn away from their capitalist ways and allow their player to leave on the cheap.

However, what I would argue is that £7m - even a few pennies more - for Roberts is cheap. Celtic can afford it. He is a player with definite sell-on potential. Oh, and is one who could make a huge difference when it comes to the Champions League play-offs .

Read more: Virgil van Dijk could fund Patrick Roberts on a permanent deal to Celtic

Also, Virgil van Dijk’s imminent move to Liverpool is going to bolster the Parkhead coffers by the best part of what Roberts would cost.

Rodgers stated he would have no qualms about breaking Celtic’s transfer record, which stands at £6m, and while the club understandably have stuck by their financial plan, there has always been scope to tweak said structure.

Let’s say Celtic were prepared to pay £10m – they aren’t but bear with me – and ask yourself what does that get a club these days. I’ll tell you. A bang-average player quite a bit of the time who wouldn’t particularly add anything to the current squad.

Roberts is far from average. He loves Celtic He could stay two more years of winning trophies, playing every week and showcasing himself on big European nights and then get a move back south, which is most likely what he would want, for an increased fee. Everyone would be a winner.