RONNY Deila last night stressed that Celtic will only take Patrick Roberts on loan from Manchester City if they can keep him for longer than the remainder of this season.

Celtic officials have held talks with their City counterparts this week about Roberts, the England Under-19 internationalist, moving to Glasgow on a temporary basis.

However, the deal for the 18-year-old, who City bought from Fulham for £12 million last year, hinges on him being allowed to stay beyond the end of the 2015/16 campaign.

Deila stressed the winger, who has made three appearances for Manuel Pellegrini’s team this season, will only arrive in the January transfer window if he is available for the entire year at least.

“We will not take a player on loan to have him only until the summer,” he said. “If it’s going to be loans then it has to be longer than just to the summer.”

“If that is the case it will not happen, you have my word on that. If it happens, then there has to be something special that we need at that time, to the summer, or else it’s going to be a longer loan.

“If not, there is not anything to think about. We have a lot of players. We have to think if it is somebody who can make a difference into next season as well."

Deila, who took Jason Denayer and John Guidetti on loan from City last season, stressed he enjoyed a good working relationship with the Etihad Stadium club which stretched back to his time with Stromsgodset.

“We trust each other," he said. "We have developed players for them. If they can bring quality into our squad like Jason did and Guidetti as well then it’s positive for both of us.

"Now we know that if we’re going do to things like that we have to have an arrangement that is over the summer and for a longer period.”

Meanwhile, Deila remained guarded on his interest in Kristoffer Ajer, the 17-year—old Norwegian midfielder who spent a week on trial at Lennnoxtown earlier this month, despite the player stating Celtic were speaking to his club IK Start.

“He made a good impression,” he said. “We will see. But, again, that’s something for the future it’s not something that would make a big difference in the next half year.”