'We expect them to be very competitive': Why Wolves sanctioned Tyler Roberts' Doncaster Rovers loan

The 19-year-old, who can operate on either flank, has joined Rovers on a season-long loan, becoming Grant McCann’s eighth summer signing.

Roberts is said to be highly regarded at Molynuex and signed a new two-and-a-half year contract with Wolves in April, one month after making his international debut off the bench in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.

Wolves’ strategic player marketing manager, Matt Jackson, said: “Tyler’s gaining experience at a very good club with a manager who has done a lot of homework on him and has been very active in his recruitment process, which is great from our perspective, and that’s credit to Doncaster and Grant McCann.

“It’s a really good set-up and we expect them to be very competitive in that league this season, so the independence Tyler will have by going into a new club and the maturity he will gain from it will be excellent for his long-term future.”

McCann is in the unique position of having finalised most, if not all, of his transfer business before the start of pre-season.

Doncaster’s players return to training on Wednesday, 28 June.

Roberts is a second-year pro with five EFL Trophy appearances to his name. He scored his first senior goal against Stockport County last season.

The youngster will compete with the likes of Luke Molyneux, Jon Taylor and Kyle Hurst for a starting spot next term.

Roberts said: “It’s a big step in my career, getting the first bit of first team action and playing in the league in real football.

“I’m excited to see how I will handle it.”

Recent rookie loanees have struggled to make an impact at Doncaster, but McCann is confident speedster Roberts can hit the ground running.

He said: “Tyler is a really exciting young winger that I’ve no doubt will get the fans off their seats. He’s direct and can play off the right or left side.

“We’ve been watching him for quite a while and we were really pleased when we heard we could get him here.

“This is his first loan but he’s more than ready for the step-up to men’s football and speaking to him, he’s really excited about the opportunity."