jollylescott
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This has got me worried. The last thing I want is for him to go to the scum or the dippers. He’s a fantastic talent, but the kids these days seem very impatient and want it all now.
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James McAtee
- Thread starter Shaelumstash
- Start date
It was obvious something was up. After the Wycombe game Pep namechecked virtually every academy player but left him out. Thought it was weird at the time.
Nobody can blame any of these lads for leaving. Let's be honest - City primarily see the academy as a reliable revenue stream, like Real Madrid do, and Chelsea largely have done. Its' main aim is to help balance the books. Like all big clubs we move kids on when the money's right, cut them loose as soon as they don't serve a purpose, and so we have to accept that some players, parents and agents will play the game as well.
It's a shame, it would be great to see a few of these lads become regulars, but especially Palmer and McAtee. Both look tremendously talented. If he was my lad, though, I'd probably be advising him to look elsewhere, maybe not to United or Liverpool where the pathway to the first team will most probably be as blocked, but certainly to Germany, and failing that some of the more proactive Premier League clubs like Brighton and Brentford.
The dilemma for City is do you offer him a much larger contract in order not to lose him or not. Recent history suggests they won't. The risk with that is it upsets other players, so the best option, reluctantly, is sell him, take the probable eight-figure fee, manage his destination while we can, and cram the deal full of as many potentially lucrative add-ons as possible. That way, if he goes to, say, Leipzig for £10m, then moves to an English club for three or four times that down the line, we do quite nicely.
Nobody can blame any of these lads for leaving. Let's be honest - City primarily see the academy as a reliable revenue stream, like Real Madrid do, and Chelsea largely have done. Its' main aim is to help balance the books. Like all big clubs we move kids on when the money's right, cut them loose as soon as they don't serve a purpose, and so we have to accept that some players, parents and agents will play the game as well.
It's a shame, it would be great to see a few of these lads become regulars, but especially Palmer and McAtee. Both look tremendously talented. If he was my lad, though, I'd probably be advising him to look elsewhere, maybe not to United or Liverpool where the pathway to the first team will most probably be as blocked, but certainly to Germany, and failing that some of the more proactive Premier League clubs like Brighton and Brentford.
The dilemma for City is do you offer him a much larger contract in order not to lose him or not. Recent history suggests they won't. The risk with that is it upsets other players, so the best option, reluctantly, is sell him, take the probable eight-figure fee, manage his destination while we can, and cram the deal full of as many potentially lucrative add-ons as possible. That way, if he goes to, say, Leipzig for £10m, then moves to an English club for three or four times that down the line, we do quite nicely.
FantasyIreland
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It was clear the other night he was going through the motions and would far rather have been elsewhere.I suspect he is watching Palmer and thinking what more can i do?Cracking player this kid. Really I think we should be welcoming a move to somewhere like Brighton with a good manager who play half decent football. Sell him for 6-8 million Insert reasonable buyback 30-40m and a sell on of 15 percent. If we’d have done this in the summer We’d not have the scum clubs chasing him now and he’d be developing nicely to replace gundogan in 1 to years time. Everyone is a winner. U23 football is a waste on talent like this and us throwing a hissy fit of not playing him unless he signs a contract will backfire.
blueparrot
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So he should be, Palmer is obviously ahead of him in his progress, Edozie seems to be too and he should thinking if there is any reason. I don’t know the reason, doubt any one outside the club do but there must be one and he needs to work on whatever that is.It was clear the other night he was going through the motions and would far rather have been elsewhere.I suspect he is watching Palmer and thinking what more can i do?
My guess is in his position he has KDB, Gundogan Bernardo and even Foden ahead of him and as we don’t know the future of Gundogan or Bernardo maybe he just needs a bit more patience.
Whereas Palmer can probably play wide or centrally and only really has Mahrez and Jesus ahead of him in the wide position.
because liverpool owners are cheap
He was starting ahead of Keita, Thiago and Oxlade-Chamberlain who all cost a lot of money
thiago and keita are always injuredHe was starting ahead of Keita, Thiago and Oxlade-Chamberlain who all cost a lot of money
Holcombe bloo
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Kev whilst still a good player has peaked and is declining physically. Gundogan a good player but will be gone in 2 years And wrong side of 30. Bernie is fantastic but wants out for the sunshine. we need more legs and energy in the side and kids like this can provide something different. Although I’d be giving him minutes in the domestic cups if we’re not going to do that, we need a good sell on so we can fit him back in 2 years time.So he should be, Palmer is obviously ahead of him in his progress, Edozie seems to be too and he should thinking if there is any reason. I don’t know the reason, doubt any one outside the club do but there must be one and he needs to work on whatever that is.
My guess is in his position he has KDB, Gundogan Bernardo and even Foden ahead of him and as we don’t know the future of Gundogan or Bernardo maybe he just needs a bit more patience.
Whereas Palmer can probably play wide or centrally and only really has Mahrez and Jesus ahead of him in the wide position.
Cheadle_hulmeBlue
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If he stayed he’d be a first team regular in about 2 seasons, maybe slightly behind Palmer and about the same a Lavia. Who knows whether he has the patience for that, but if he went to liverpool or united it wouldn’t be much quicker. A team like Brighton maybe.
from his own perspective, if he wants first team football soon Brighton would make sense
from our perspective we’d be losing arguably the most talendted young player we’ve had in years. Would be a big blow
blueparrot
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I agree but there is no way any manager let alone Pep leaves out KDB,nor at this stage probably Gundogan, next season maybe, and plays an academy prospect. If Bernardo does still want to go then I could see next season being Mcatee’s time, even if Bernardo stays too.Kev whilst still a good player has peaked and is declining physically. Gundogan a good player but will be gone in 2 years And wrong side of 30. Bernie is fantastic but wants out for the sunshine. we need more legs and energy in the side and kids like this can provide something different. Although I’d be giving him minutes in the domestic cups if we’re not going to do that, we need a good sell on so we can fit him back in 2 years time.
If I was Mcatee I ‘d bide my time he doesn’t have to decide now he can wait until next season before either signing a contract or moving . I suppose then it’s down to the club whether they risk losing him on a free.