Manchester City's recent performance has been poor, with only one win, three draws, and nine losses. As a team that has won the Premier League four times in a row and the UEFA Champions League, Manchester City is experiencing a major setback this season, with constant criticism directed at manager Pep Guardiola. Questions have been raised about Guardiola's use of young players from the club's academy, with some of these players flourishing after leaving the club, such as Palmer. Now, another academy player is considering leaving. Determined to leave! The first player out of Manchester City in the winter window is dissatisfied with Guardiola and eager to become Palmer.
On December 28th, according to reports from The Telegraph, Manchester City player James McAtee is inclined to leave the team during the winter transfer window. The media states that McAtee is not short of suitors, with Premier League teams Nottingham Forest, West Ham United, Brentford, and Crystal Palace showing interest, as well as Bundesliga clubs Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, and Serie A teams Fiorentina and Bologna.
McAtee is currently 22 years old, plays as a midfielder, and has a market value of 14 million euros. In the England U21 national team, McAtee is a key player, wearing the number 10 jersey and serving as captain. Due to the upcoming U21 European Championship next year, McAtee needs playing time, but he feels disappointed with his current situation at Manchester City. This season, McAtee has made eight appearances for the first team, starting three times and scoring one goal, including only two substitute appearances in the Premier League, totaling just two minutes of play.
As an important player for the England youth national team, McAtee has had few opportunities at Manchester City, naturally leading him to consider leaving. It is reported that although Guardiola has a high opinion of McAtee, the player finds it difficult to secure playing time at the club. Guardiola has demonstrated his coaching abilities at Manchester City, with an impressive track record, but he also has significant points of criticism. Guardiola spends heavily on transfers at Manchester City, always able to sign the players he wants, such as Grealish for 120 million euros, and activating release clauses for players like Rodri and Haaland, allowing him to build the team of his dreams.
Manchester City has a strong youth training system that has produced many outstanding young players, but Guardiola does not give them many opportunities. He focuses on signings, buying "established stars," and has let go of several talented young players from Manchester City, including Palmer, Sancho, Dias, Lavia, and Rogers. Now, McAtee sees Palmer's situation at Chelsea and hopes to receive more attention, making leaving the team indeed a better choice.