James McAtee secures Sheffield United return after convincing Man City
James McAtee is heading back to Sheffield United for a second year on loan.
Manchester City were seriously impressed by the role the young midfielder played in their promotion charge, and took him on their pre-season tour with the hopes of integrating him into Pep Guardiola's first team squad. The club knocked back serious offers for the 20-year-old in the transfer window and would not accept a permanent exit.
However, with only a few minutes to his name in the opening five matches of the season McAtee was itching for more regular game time and the welcome he got at Sheffield United when City played there at the weekend convinced him that it was the right move. Leicester, Feyenoord, and Nottingham Forest were all interested in a loan this week but McAtee has opted for Bramall Lane.
City had been hopeful that McAtee would stay, given his versatility in what is again a small squad for Guardiola and stretched further by the serious injury to Kevin De Bruyne. Despite that, the signings of Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes plus the decision from Bernardo Silva to stay only add to the competition McAtee would face, and the club accepted McAtee's desire to go out again and prove himself in the best league in order to return to the Etihad with an even better chance of playing.
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McAtee's temporary exit will follow Cole Palmer's permanent sale, with the Wythenshawe winger joining Chelsea in a £42.5m deal that shows the value of players being produced in the academy.
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