James McAtee continues to turn heads with his mesmeric displays at youth level, emerging as Manchester City Under-23’s saviour after scoring the winner in their 1-0 win against Chelsea on Monday night.
The Salford-raised midfielder is the Premier League 2 top scorer at present, with 14 goals in 18 games - an incredible return for a player who operates in the space behind the number nine.
However, the 19-year old is yet to solidify his place in the first-team, most notably coming off the bench in a Premier League game against Everton this season - his sole appearance for the reigning champions in the top-flight so far.
As per a new report by the Mail, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are claimed to have ‘asked’ James McAtee to be patient, as he continues to learn his craft by learning from the club’s senior players around him.
Additionally, it has been reported that the possibility of playing first-team football is a ‘big attraction’ for the youngster, who has been linked with both loan and permanent moves to a host of Premier League and Championship clubs.
The likes of Brighton, West Ham and Crystal Palace were reported to be open to potential moves to sign the prodigious talent, while new reports on Tuesday have suggested that both Leicester and Aston Villa are eyeing the teenager.
A recent report by the Athletic’s Sam Lee claimed that Manchester City believe the ‘Salford Silva’ would be much ‘better off’ training at his boyhood club, replicating the same approach taken with Phil Foden.
While James McAtee must have fire in his belly to prove his worth at the highest level, patience has proven to be a virtue with Manchester City’s careful development of young players.
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