'I said to Txiki' - Pep Guardiola makes James McAtee decision after warning
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about James McAtee after the Community Shield win over Manchester United
Pep Guardiola has made it clear he wants James McAtee in his Manchester City squad this season.
McAtee has spent the last two years on loan at Sheffield United getting regular football, but returned to the Etihad this summer with a desire to make it under Guardiola even if it meant a reduction in game time. The 21-year-old has played a full part in pre-season and started against United in the Community Shield, hitting the post in the first half.
Guardiola was not happy with McAtee's level in the first two friendlies against Celtic and AC Milan, but has been satisfied with the response since. If there is still a question mark hanging over the player's future, the manager made it clear to sporting director Txiki Begiristain what he wants.
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"It is difficult to find players with a sense of goal in small spaces who attack the final third and McAtee has that quality," Guardiola said. "That's why I said to Txiki at the beginning of the season that I don't want to loan him and I don't want to sell him because I need his specific quality in small spaces. James has this ability.
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"I have to see them and the first games I didn't like it much and I told him afterwards: 'Your impact in the game is not big, I want more.' After, he did well and his impact was really good.
"He is a player who came from the academy, he knows all the processes and how he moves in the pockets. His period at Sheffield United helped him a lot to give value and suffer to get points, physicality, win duels, this kind of stuff that normally they don't do in the City academy. It helped him a lot playing there."