Manchester City sign £11m Fulham teenager Patrick Roberts

According to reports, City will pay £5m up front for the 18-year-old, with a further £6m in add-ons for a player who has generated huge excitement already in his career.

Fulham manager Kit Symons discussed Roberts' exit after the club's 3-1 friendly win over Crawley Town on Saturday night.

“It’s very difficult,” Symons said before the deal had been confirmed. “He’s handed in a transfer request now and he’s only got one year left on his contract.

“It’s a shame to lose one of our bright young talents but I need to have people that are committed and want to play for the football club.

“I sat down with Pat and his parents and told them how much we value him and want him. But they’d made their minds up and it then becomes quite difficult."

Roberts only started two league games for Fulham, making a further 17 appearances as a substitute, but has impressed hugely with England’s youth teams.

Having joined City, Roberts ups their English contingent once again following the £8m signing of Fabian Delph and the £49m capture of Raheem Sterling.

The club needed to increase their quota of homegrown players in time for the start of the season to comply with Premier League regulations.

This is a cute move from City in what is shaping up to be a good window for the club. They've already signed the best young English player in Sterling and now have the next big thing too. Plus, the £8m paid for Delph was probably the biggest bargain of he window so far. City knew their big problem in terms of homegrown players and have addressed it impressively well. Now for some big foreign signings...