Man City have decided not to include James McAtee in their squad for the Club World Cup, which has opened the door for interest from nearby rivals man united.
Leaving him out could mean something important, as the young man city academy star is thinking about his future and really wants more minutes on the pitch.
Man United wait to see what McAtee does
Man City are getting ready to travel for the new Club World Cup, but McAtee will not be part of the squad. He is instead with England’s Under-21 team preparing for the European Championship in Slovakia.
McAtee has shown flashes of talent in a man city shirt, but he still needs to prove that he belongs with the top squad.
He scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup not long ago and has helped in the Premier League too, but he will miss the chance to play with the club’s biggest names at the Club World Cup.
Because of that, clubs have started showing interest, and man united are one of them.
Selling him directly to Old Trafford would spark plenty of talk, especially because McAtee has a bright future ahead.
The Daily Mail said Guardiola’s choice to leave him out might be the beginning of the end for McAtee at man city.
The Spanish coach has already spoken about this, and while he wants to keep the 22-year-old, he knows the player wants to play more.
He said in April: “At his age, I hope he stays, but I understand when young players want more time on the field. He can play in many spots, but I don’t yet know what the squad will look like.”
Another big point is that McAtee’s contract ends in 2026, so man city must choose between offering him a new deal or selling him before he walks away for free.
McAtee wants to go to the Bundesliga
McAtee himself prefers a move to the Bundesliga and has been linked with teams like Bayer Leverkusen.
He knows how other young English talents have done well in Germany, like Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham.
Letting McAtee leave could become risky for Guardiola, who has already faced criticism for letting young academy players go without real chances. Many of them, like Morgan Rodgers, have done great after leaving.
