Ex-Sheffield United star set to earn new Premier League deal after strict manager instruction

After spending two seasons on loan with Sheffield United, James McAtee has earned himself the chance to prove himself at Manchester City. The 21-year-old has been the subject of heavy interest this summer, with clubs enquiring about both temporary and permanent moves.

Despite the offers, City are reportedly ‘ready to offer’ McAtee a new contract at the Etihad after rejecting bids of up to £30 million throughout this window, according to The Athletic. Clubs including Leicester City, Nottingham Forest and teams in Europe had made contact with the Premier League champions but Pep Guardiola has made it clear that McAtee is someone who is very much part of his plans going ahead.

With 75 total appearances for the Blades, the midfielder has returned to Manchester, and he impressed during his Community Shield performance against Manchester United earlier this month. Guardiola admitted he ‘didn’t like’ McAtee’s pre-season too much but he has gone on to impress the manager, who instructed sporting director Txiki Begiristain not to sanction any moves for the 21-year-old this summer.

After City’s Community Shield win, Guardiola had a lot of praise for McAtee and believes his time with Sheffield United played a big part in his growth on the pitch.

“He knows all the process and how he moves in the pockets. I think his period at Sheffield helped him a lot to give value in how difficult is football; to suffer to get points, the physicality, win duels, defend deep,” Guardiola said.

“This kind of stuff normally in the City Academy they don’t do that. It helped him a lot playing there but when you find players in the small spaces that attack the final thirds, have a sense of goal, it is difficult to find these sorts of players. McAtee has that quality.

“That's why I said to Txiki in the beginning of the season I don't want to loan him or sell him. I need him because I need a specific quality in the small space and McAtee has this ability.”