The 20-year old winger has just recently completed a trial period with Norwich City and has since returned to Spotland where he has been a first team regular for the past two seasons.
A club spokesman for Dale claimed that the trial with Norwich was just as a training excersise and claimed that no permanent move would be imminent
"Patrick McCourt will go back to Rochdale before the weekend as that was always the plan.
"It was only ever going to be a chance for the manager to see how he performed among players at this level."
Along with fellow Northern Ireland international Lee McEvilly, McCourt has been highly influential for Alan Buckley's team and it is thought our Lancashire rivals would seek a substansial fee for their prized asset.
Meanwhile the club have also been linked to Porto youngster Jose Boswinga who is reportedly unhappy just three months into his move to the Portuguese capital from Boavista and this has reportedly alerted ourselves, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City to the midfielder who is a Portuguese U21 international.