Manchester City '˜would have rejected £30m bid for Patrick Roberts'

Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Celtic were ready to offer five times their record transfer fee paid in a bid to land Patrick Roberts - but Manchester City wouldn't even entertain a bid of £30 million.

Patrick Roberts has returned to Celtic for a second loan spell. Picture: Getty Images

Roberts, 20, rejoined Celtic on a season-long loan deal last week, bringing to an end one of the summer’s longest transfer sagas.

But Rodgers has confirmed he wanted to make the move permanent, telling an audience at a Belfast fundraiser for the Northern Ireland Hospice: “We would have broken our transfer record for Patrick Roberts.”

The Celtic boss added: “We wanted to find the deal that would get him back here.

Pep Guardiola reportedly agreed to let Roberts leave permanently, before having a change of heart. Picture: Getty Images

• READ MORE - Pep Guardiola refused permanent Celtic deal, says Patrick Roberts

“We could have offered Manchester City £30 million and they would have said no. They didn’t want to sell. So the best option was to get him back on loan.”

England Under-20 international Roberts won the domestic treble with Celtic last season, and turned down loan offers from Premier League sides Southampton and Huddersfield, as well as interest from French outfit OGC Nice.

Roberts scored 11 goals and made 19 assists in 47 appearances for the Hoops last season.

Pep Guardiola reportedly agreed to let Roberts leave permanently, before having a change of heart. Picture: Getty Images

Celtic’s record transfer fee paid is £6 million, which the club paid on two occasions - once for Chris Sutton and again for John Hartson.

Reports last month claimed that Celtic had agreed a deal with City to sign Roberts for £8 million - but Pep Guardiola is understood to have had a last-minute change of heart.

• READ MORE - Patrick Roberts: I persuaded Man City over Celtic return

Speaking after his second loan deal with the Parkhead side was confirmed, Roberts said: “Celtic did try to get the permanent move but, in fairness to City, they wanted to keep me and said that couldn’t happen.

“It gives me a bit of hope obviously [City] still think I have a long-term future which is good for me. They will let me express myself up here and enjoy my season.

“The bigger picture for me is to be the best player I can be and play in the best league in the world. For me, it is just to improve every day and get better working with the manager here.

“You never know what can happen in football, so hopefully my career goes the way I plan it to be.”