Alex Neil provides update on Patrick Roberts’ progress at Sunderland

Patrick Roberts joined Sunderland on a free transfer from Manchester City in January but has made just four substitute appearances since.

The 25-year-old had a prolific youth career and has succeeded in loan spells away from the Etihad Stadium in the past, but now at a new permanent destination he has experienced somewhat of a rocky start.

Alex Neil explained the difficulty of the situation from both perspectives when he spoke to the Sunderland Echo.

He said: “I’ve been really honest with Patrick, as I have with the other players.

“At the moment, it’s tough because you’re not at your peak and it’s hard for you to give your best.

“I’ve not had any issues in terms of that, that’s certainly not a concern of mine.”

The Black Cats are in the thick of the League One play-off race and therefore it is tricky for Neil to hand out first team minutes merely for a player to get back up to speed.

It will be interesting to see if Roberts can force his way in to make some valuable contributions towards the back end of the campaign.

The Verdict

Roberts endured eight loan spells away from City to varying degrees of success.

Therefore, it will be a relief for him to start building a career for himself away from the Etihad, although the initial six month contract he is on at Sunderland does pose its challenges.

With the uncertainty over his future it may be tough for Roberts to feel settled and to produce his best level of performance, entering the Stadium of Light a way off where they want to be in the division is a harsh environment as it is, but only having six months to prove yourself adds another layer of difficulty for Roberts.

The 25-year-old’s pedigree and quality should see him earn some opportunities at some point between now and