In a recent report, Manchester Evening News has stated that Manchester City Academy starlet James McAtee is attracting loan interests from various clubs. It has also been mentioned that Huddersfield Town have the edge to sign him over other clubs after being cleared to discuss a loan deal with McAtee after his England U-21 commitments are concluded.
McAtee’s Campaign For Manchester City This Season
McAtee has made a profound impact in the Premier League 2 this season, scoring 18 goals and providing seven assists over 22 appearances. He has emerged as a youngster full of potential to play at the highest level.
The 19-year-old has impressed Guardiola with his skillset in the central areas of the pitch. He has made his debut for the SkyBlues in the Premier League and appeared for the senior side in 6 matches across all competitions and made the most out of his appearances, maintaining an average of 1.3 dribbles, 0.5 shots, 0.5 key passes and a pass success rate of 77.3% in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Allow A Loan Move For The Youngster?
James McAtee can make some decent runs from the midfield. He can hold the ball and excels at distributing possession to his teammates. He has contributed on the offensive end with his fair share of goals and chipped in with a few assists in setting up his teammates with clear-cut goal-scoring chances.
At 19, he has proven to be a promising prospect and has the potential to become one of the finest midfielders in Europe, given he puts in the required work. A chance at the first team squad looks unlikely with the current midfield of Pep Guardiola comprising big-time players such as Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva at the Etihad club. Guardiola would want him to train with the senior squad to develop further but not having enough game time would threaten his growth.
A loan move to the Championship side would be a more viable option considering his development. He could prove to be a brilliant understudy for Bernardo Silva over the years but a move away to a club with regular time would be wise a decision.
