“It’s my dream” – James McAtee responds to Pep Guardiola comments over his Manchester City future

Playing for Manchester City is attacking midfielder James McAtee’s “dream”, the 21-year-old has admitted in a new interview this week.

The Manchester City Academy graduate has been reunited with Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff in the last two weeks, having spent the last season on loan at Sheffield United in the Premier League.

McAtee opted for a return to Bramall Lane last summer, despite interest from numerous clubs across Europe including Leicester, having endured a high-quality experience with the Blades during their promotion campaign from the Championship into the top-flight the season prior.

However, the follow-up season with Sheffield United proved to be not as fruitful, with the Manchester City man struggling to have the same influence on the club as he did in the Championship, with the collective performances of the Blades failing to compete.

Nevertheless, James McAtee has returned to Manchester City retaining the same high-regard and rave reviews that he has held since progressing out of the club’s Academy system, with Pep Guardiola in particular admitting a desire to retain the player for next season.

Speaking to reporters after Manchester City’s opening pre-season friendly of the 2024 USA tour this week, James McAtee made reference to the club’s other successful Academy graduates when discussing his own Etihad Stadium first-team “dream”.

“If you look at Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis), Oscar (Bobb), they’ve been patient and been rewarded,” McAtee said, as relayed by MailSport this week. “My mindset is definitely different (this year). I’m going to see how this tour goes. Obviously it’s my dream to play for this club.”

He continued, “I’m not really fussed about minutes. I just want to learn from the best manager, the best players and it’s not really about minutes. I’ve gone out and got my minutes, with the physicality of the men’s game.

“Obviously I know the demands and quality in this team. If I wasn’t to get minutes it’s not something I’d be upset with but my aim is to prove myself and get into the team as much as I can. I need to earn that.”

In light of manager Pep Guardiola issuing his own personal ambitions to integrate McAtee into the Manchester City first-team squad, McAtee went on to reveal the message sent to him by the Catalan coach coming into the pre-season period.

“The manager just says to go out and be yourself. He’s not asking much of me, he just wants me to express myself. He’s the best manager in the world so any praise from him is amazing. It’s about getting my head down and prove him right.”

McAtee’s re-integration into the Manchester City first-team picture may come at an opportune moment for him too, with ongoing concerns over the longevity of the likes of Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.

Whilst both midfielders are expected to stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond this summer, there remains an element of doubt as to how long they will continue to commit their respective futures to Manchester City.

De Bruyne has been at the centre of widespread transfer speculation and contract uncertainty this summer, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the upcoming season, with Saudi Arabia monitoring his situation closely.

As for Bernardo Silva, the Portuguese international has once again kept himself open to other opportunities away from the club, but is unlikely to see his desired destination and club in FC Barcelona trigger City’s £50 million release clause negotiated into his contract last summer.