Manchester City have reportedly made the decision to keep academy talent James McAtee at the club this summer despite interest from dozens of English sides.
According to the Athletic, the England youth international will remain in Manchester this season, with the Premier League champions eager to develop McAtee at the club in a similar programme that saw Phil Foden flourish into one of Europe’s most exciting talents.
As per the report, McAtee had caught the eye of ‘half of the Premier League’, with the majority of the EFL Championship also interested in signing the City wonderkid on loan for the season, however, 19-year-old Salford-born playmaker will stay with his boyhood club for the year.
One of the best performers in Premier League 2 last season, McAtee captained City’s U-23 side to a consecutive league title as the midfielder bagged an astonishing 22 goals and seven assists in all competitions, with the teenager also making his first-team debut under Pep Guardiola.
With City selling the likes of Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, it makes sense why the club are open to keeping McAtee this summer, with the youngster expected to play a more active role in the senior squad next season alongside Cole Palmer, another academy graduate who was phenomenal at youth level.
Indeed, given the huge success of how Foden has developed at City, it makes sense why the club would want to keep McAtee this season despite massive loan interest in the 19-year-old, and Guardiola could have another phenomenal option on his hands if the midfielder progresses this season.
Keeping McAtee is a brilliant move from City this summer
Whilst City have seen something of an exodus from their U-23 side this summer, keeping a talent like McAtee is a genius move from the club, with the England youth star arguably the Manchester giants’ most exciting prodigy since Foden, who has been the Premier League titans’ best success story from the youth academy so far.
McAtee showed some sparks in his limited first-team appearances last season, and with more opportunities on the horizon next season, the 19-year-old has the potential to become another superstar from the academy if the club put him on the right development plan.
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