James McAtee does not want to “get lost in the Premier League storm” and a transfer to a Bundesliga club would suit the midfielder this summer, Citizens expert Steven McInerney tells Sports Mole.Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany does not want James McAtee to “get lost in the Premier League storm” and believes that a transfer to a Bundesliga club would suit the midfielder this summer.The 22-year-old was not with Pep Guardiola’s squad at the FIFA Club World Cup as he captained England to glory at the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia.McAtee produced a man-of-the-match performance as the Young Lions secured a thrilling 3-2 extra-time victory over Germany in last weekend’s final and he is now set for a well-earned break before making a decision over his club future.The versatile midfielder is increasingly likely to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer in search of regular first-team football, after starting only three of his 15 Premier League appearances in the 2024-25 campaign.A host of Bundesliga clubs have expressed an interest in signing McAtee, with Borussia Dortmund allegedly the latest German side to join Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, RB Leipzig and Stuttgart in the race for his signature.Several Premier League clubs, including newly-promoted Leeds United, Bournemouth, Everton, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, have also been linked with McAtee, while even Manchester United have allegedly asked to be kept informed of developments involving the midfielder.McAtee encouraged to make Bundesliga move over Premier League stayWhile the prospect of continuing his career in England’s top tier will likely appeal to McAtee, McInerney believes that the Man City academy graduate has the potential to “grow” and ‘become a star in his own right’ if he moves to the Bundesliga this summer.Speaking to Sports Mole, McInerney said: “I feel that he will feel the Bundesliga is going to be good for him because of the space that you get in German football compared to English football. It’s a little bit different, it’s a bit more open and I think it’s a place where he could really grow his game and start to trust his instincts a little bit more.“I don’t want him to get lost in the Premier League storm too much just yet. I trust his quality and I think, ultimately, if any side’s going to pay £25m to £30m which City will demand – rightfully so, even if that feels potentially cheap given what he could become – I think they’re going to use him if they’re going to pay that for him because it’s a decent whack of money.“I think the German league is really good for him. Leverkusen, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, someone like that. A lot of these are competing in the Europa League or Conference League or are Champions League-level sides.“He’s going to play in a league that is famously good for younger players. They will use him, they’ll give him a chance and it’s hard not to see the path. A lot of English youth players have taken it. Obviously [Jadon] Sancho, it didn’t go well after he left, but he got his big move there. [Jamie] Gittens has done very similar now at Dortmund and is on the cusp of a Chelsea move.”McInerney added: “I think he’ll look at [the Bundesliga] and think this is a place for me to go and grow and become a star in my own right there. I think that the league will suit him, because he’ll be allowed to run with the ball a little bit and assert himself.“I think the slightly more aggressive style with a little bit more space will see him flourish. I think what he needs more than anything is those goals and those assists and the man-of-the-match awards and to feel he can take those chances, he can take that extra touch and that extra shot or that extra dribble and it will result in a positive contribution, be it a goal or assist for his side.“That will help his confidence grow. As well as he did [on loan at] Sheffield United, I don’t want him to play for a side again where he’s going to have little of the ball and wait for a moment, because I think he’s a guy who needs a high volume of touches. He needs a minimum of 60-70 touches per game to really feel his way into it, and I think that’s what he’d hopefully get over in the Bundesliga.”In-demand McAtee is an “incredibly talented footballer”McInerney is a huge admirer of McAtee and has watched the youngster excel in Man City’s academy before being integrated into Guardiola’s senior squad, making his senior debut in September 2021.McAtee has been described by McInerney as an “incredibly talented footballer” who “could reach the top” and he has been likened to Man United’s Mason Mount.“I’ve been watching James McAtee for an awful long time. At youth level, I remember him making his debut for the Under-18s when he was around 15 years old, so it’s been a long time watching him.“I suspect McAtee will get to reach his potential at some point”“He’s an incredibly talented footballer. I think he hasn’t shown yet, even at senior level, just how talented he is and I suspect he will get to reach his potential at some point.“McAtee as a player is a classic number 10, but he could also play as an eight or as a right-winger or as a false nine. A really gifted footballer, has incredible technical ability, a great touch, a wonderful sense of goal as well, he knows where to be to score either the spectacular or the tap-ins. He’s always scored great goals for the youth sides.“I think McAtee is not the most naturally confident footballer. What I mean by that is he’s not blessed with an intense self-belief that will demand attention.“I think he’s a very nice lad – in fact he is, I know as I’ve met him a couple of times, he’s an incredibly nice lad, very well spoken, very polite – but I think he’s not going to get the team believing he deserves to be there and bang the door down because I don’t think he’s very arrogant, which is obviously a good trait.“For a long time he’s been waiting for his chance and I think when he’s on the pitch at Manchester City, you can tell he’s maybe been subservient to the rest of the side and has not necessarily taken the chances that he would do at youth level.”McAtee “needs” Man City exit this summerMcInerney added: “My gut tells me that McAtee is the kind of person who needs this move. He needs a move to a good side where he’s going to play week in week out, and after a year or two I expect we’ll start to see the very best McAtee.“Do not be surprised by the age of 25, 26 we’re looking at a guy here who’s just incredibly smart, a Champions League-level attacking midfielder who’s creating goals and scoring goals regularly.“I look at people like Mason Mount at his very best where for Chelsea – their Player of the Season two years in a row – was a really smart number eight, scoring goals, working really hard, great technical ability, incredibly reliable. McAtee not quite the same player, but there’s a similar feel to him.“People will say that’s a bit of a weird comparison because Mount’s not doing anything these days. I think he’s been very unfortunate, but I think at his very best, Mount was a cracking footballer.”I think McAtee could reach the top. I think he’s taking a slightly slower route to the top, which is totally normal, he’s not going to burst onto the scenes and grab your attention [like] Cole Palmer. I would say [Palmer is] fearless, because he just he believes he belongs there and I think Palmer plays his own game at his own pace.“I think McAtee is more of a student that way and he’s very willing to learn and listen, but not necessarily grab the game by the scruff of the neck because he maybe felt young in that City side.“McAtee probably needs a settled environment now to just go and grow and be himself and become a man essentially and find his confidence in football.”> Click this link to view and listen to the full discussion.ID:576572:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect12069:
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