Pep Guardiola and his colleagues in the club’s hierarchy are definitely not looking to settle anytime soon after a historic season that saw City win a triple of trophies with victories in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Wednesday marked the official start of the summer transfer window, and City will be aiming to wrap up the most of their business quickly so that new arrivals and departures are finalized by the time the team gathers for preseason training the following month.
Officials from Etihad Stadium are particularly interested in the squad’s center midfield position because the club is still unsure of what will happen to Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva after this summer.
Mateo Kovacic of Chelsea has become Manchester City’s top priority target in recent weeks, but a new report has highlighted brand-new ideas from within the club’s training staff to further strengthen the role of an academy graduate within the first-team squad.
According to Craig Hope of the Mail, Manchester City will reportedly reject loan offers for central midfielder James McAtee this summer because coach Pep Guardiola wants the 20-year-old to be a member of his team next season.
The first-team and academy staffs of Manchester City have already held discussions over the future of McAtee, it is further stated, and the idea is for the England youth international to begin the season with Guardiola’s senior group.
McAtee is reportedly a target for Sheffield United and Burnley, but the Premier League winners want to give one of their outstanding academy graduates a chance to grow next season alongside players like Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne, according to the Mail.
James McAtee’s qualities are further evidenced by Manchester City’s rumored plans to offer him a new contract, safeguarding his transfer worth and rewarding him for a standout season at Bramall Lane the previous year.
James McAtee played 2,358 minutes of game time for Sheffield United last season in 43 appearances across all competitions. He scored nine goals and had four assists.
The impact of James McAtee joining Manchester City’s first team is yet unknown, but the club is still committed to bringing Mateo Kovacic in as one of their first signings this summer.
The Chelsea midfielder from Croatia is believed to have reached a personal understanding with those in charge of transfer discussions at the Etihad Stadium, and an agreement over a transfer fee is not anticipated to present any difficulties.