James McAtee has committed his long-term future to Manchester City, signing a contract extension with the Premier League champions until the summer of 2026.
After snubbing a number of loan offers during the January transfer window, the 19-year-old penned a three-year extension with City on Wednesday afternoon.
Having already spent eight years with the Blues, McAtee has excelled with the youth teams, progressing through the academy set-up, before making his first-team debut earlier this season.
Coming on as a substitute during September’s Carabao Cup victory over Wycombe Wanderers, McAtee went on to make his first Premier League appearance against Everton in November.
However, it is with the under-23s where McAtee has caught the eye the most this season, making 15 Premier League 2 appearances for the Elite Development Squad, netting 14 goals and assisting a further one.
A dynamic midfielder, McAtee has already shown his boasts the capabilities to become a regular in Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans, with the contract extension a signal of intent from the Blues. With reports from earlier in the campaign suggesting McAtee was considering a future away from the Etihad Stadium, it is clear the Salford-born maestro feels at home with the five-time Premier League winners.
Speaking to the City website following the announcement, the teenager expressed his pride around securing a new deal:
"This is a really proud moment in my career, and I am so grateful to the club for showing their faith in me. I’ve been here since I was 11 and I can’t thank everyone enough for everything they have done for me.
"I’ve been really pleased with my progress this season and I am sure I am in the right place to keep improving, so it feels amazing to know I will be a Manchester City player for another four years."
McAtee becomes the latest player behind Phil Foden and Cole Palmer to make the leap from the Academy, to the City first team.
Reminiscing on his development over the last 12 months, McAtee revealed in his first interview since signing the extension, he “couldn’t sleep” after making his Premier League debut:
"When I made my Premier League debut, I went home that night and I couldn’t sleep. I was so happy."
The youngster continued:
"There is a lot more to come and I have still got a lot to improve on. I can make my game better in many ways."
Set to continue his development with City for another four years at least, the future remains bright for McAtee in a sky blue shirt.
Written by: @AmosMurphy_
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