PATRICK Roberts is looking to hit the ground running after returning to Celtic in a bid to step up his recovery work.

The loan player has not featured in the first-team since aggravating his hamstring against Motherwell at Fir Park back in November.

The 21-year-old went back to parent club Manchester City for treatment but has now joined up with Brendan Rodgers’s squad for their sunshine training camp in Dubai and is eyeing a swift return to action once the winter break ends.

Roberts told Celtic TV: “It’s been good to be outside running. That was the main objective for me - to get back running while I was out here. I’ve been working hard in the gym over the past five or six weeks.

“I want to finish the season strongly. I finished it quite well last year so that’s the main objective again. I’ve had a tough season with injuries and it’s getting right and finishing as strongly as I can.

“Obviously, with the team as well, we want to get as many points as we can and win as many trophies as we can.”

The Englishman was given a hero’s welcome from Celtic supporters when he turned down offers south of the border and from Europe to return for a second loan stint at Parkhead.

Now he wants to repay supporters’ patience shown during his lay-off.

“The fans have been great,” he said. “They’ve been top-class as usual and have been supporting me right from when I got my injury.

“It’s been frustrating for me, obviously, but also for them because they want to see me play as much as I want to play.”