PATRICK Roberts feels he owes it to himself to return to Manchester City this summer and throw all his energies into becoming one of Pep Guardiola’s Barclays Premier League superstars.

A final decision on whether the 20-year-old Londoner will be included in England’s squad for the Under-20 World Cup or alternatively be available for the William Hill Scottish Cup final at Celtic won’t be communicated until Monday.

However, whatever happens Roberts isn’t admitting defeat in his bid to win a first-team place at the club which he signed for from Fulham for a fee in the region of £12 million two summers ago.

This is despite the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss reportedly being armed with £150m to upgrade his striking options which already include Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus, Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne.

“Of course,” said Roberts, nominated this week in the PFA Scotland young player of the year category. “I did sign there two years ago and that was my aim – to play for them. I had no idea I was going to come here.

“This was a learning curve and an experience I had to take on as young player and I have taken it on fully. City is a massive club as well and when I go down there I need to be confident, believe in my own ability and see where it takes me.”

Not that he is ruling out returning to the Parkhead side – either permanently or on a further loan – should he still be deemed surplus to requirements when pre-season is out the way.

“In football you don’t know what could happen,” said Roberts. “It could turn out good, it could turn out bad. As long as I give it a go. I am still a City player so I will go back there and do pre-season. Then we will see what happens from there.”

Discussions were said to be ongoing yesterday between Celtic, the player and the FA as to whether Roberts will be able to be at Hampden on May 27 for the bid to complete a treble or in South Korea hoping to help England Under-20s win the World Cup.

While Celtic have no legal obligation to release the player, it may be deemed better for the player’s long-term prospects for him to leave but Roberts insists he will be happy either way.”

“It’s not really up to me,” said Roberts. “It’s for club and country to decide together.

“They’ll come up with the best situation, I’ll just keep playing my football and keep training.

“It’s two big things that I’m proud to be a part of, both the World Cup with England and the chance to play for Celtic in a cup final and win a treble.

“Like I’ve said, whatever happens happens and I’ll be happy either way. The World Cup is coming up quite soon, so I’m sure it’ll be out of the way soon. I’m not quite sure what’s going on. I’d love to play in both but obviously that’s not possible.”

Whether he ends up with a treble or not, Roberts cannot think more highly of an 18-month loan spell at the club which has exceeded his expectations in every way.

He will particularly cherish playing in Saturday’s 5-1 win at Ibrox, and a Champions League goal at the Etihad. One of the things he will miss most is the “banter” of his team-mate and good pal Kieran Tierney.

“It would probably give my loan spell more than 10 – the highest you could give,” said Roberts. “It is all I could have asked for when I came up here and Celtic will always have a piece of my heart no matter what.”