PATRICK Roberts was 18 with only 22 senior games under his belt when Manchester City forked out £11m to sign him from Fulham back in 2015.

He would only play once for City with the next few years spent largely living out of a suitcase. Six loans in total, Roberts went from Scotland to Spain to France with a few stop-offs in the English Championship along the way.

Now 25, Roberts returns to where it all started this weekend, Craven Cottage. And he does so finally feeling settled, happy and as though his career is back on track.

After his stints at Celtic, Girona, Norwich, Middlesbrough, Derby and Troyes, Roberts was sick of loans and instead wanted security. When Sunderland moved to sign the young forward on a permanent deal last year, he jumped at the chance.

And it's the best decision he's made. For while Roberts grew up just a stone's throw away from the stadium in which he'll play on Saturday afternoon, at Sunderland he finally feels like he's found a new home.

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"It's the first time since Fulham where I've stayed in one spot and can get settled and can get on with my football," says Roberts ahead of the FA Cup fourth round clash.

"When you're on the road so much and moving to different clubs, it doesn't set your mind right. You want to be settled and play and enjoy your football. When the chance came (to join Sunderland) last season I jumped at it and I'm really enjoying it, I'm doing well, it's all positive."

Indeed. Roberts has featured in 24 of Sunderland's 28 Championship games this season, scoring three goals and creating another four. He suits Mowbray's style of play and is flourishing under the head coach.

Roberts says: "He's a great man manager and player coach, he wants to get the best out of players and wants them to improve and get the best out of themselves for their sake as well as the club.

"We have quite a few young players and they're all buying into it. They're just feeding off the confidence. Football is a confidence game. The whole club is doing well and it feeds down."

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When he was 17, Roberts was one of the most sought-after talents in England. He'd helped Fulham to the FA Youth Cup final, made his first team debut away at Manchester City and was described by Felix Magath as an "extraordinary talent" who would go on and play for England.

"It was huge to make my debut, going from Sunday League a few years before and being new in the academy system to playing against one of the best teams in the league, it was surreal," Roberts tells Fulham's website, reminiscing on his breakthrough.

Fulham were relegated that season and Roberts played 20 times in the Championship the following campaign before Manchester City swooped.

Roberts says: "Breaking through into the Fulham first team was a dream and to make my debut was a blessing. Then the following season it was great to get more games. I was still only young and after being in the Premier League for so long and going down, it was quite tense at the club. You need experienced players, I was only young, I knew how good I was but I knew the club was in a transition period.

"In the end, we parted ways, but I enjoyed that season, my first full season as a pro."

Roberts went to City for big money hoping to kick-on and reach his potential but it never quite worked out for him at the Etihad.

He says: "If you had a crystal ball you'd see things differently but as a kid you see Man City and jump at the chance.

"Credit to Fulham for letting me go. It was down to me to make something of it. Football is ups and downs. I'm in a place now where I'm enjoying my football, enjoying being back on the pitch and playing every week, it's nice."

And he's looking forward to his Craven Cottage return.

"I loved my time at Fulham," he says.

"When the draw was made, I think a lot of the Sunderland fans were hoping for a Premier League side, and Fulham came out. It'll be good to go back to the Cottage for me, but it's also a good test.

"Fulham are flying but we're doing well ourselves. It will be a good test to see how we fare and we're all looking forward to it.

"All my family are delighted, it's just down the road. It's where it started for me, so it will be nice to go back there for what is a big game."