Manchester City youth star James McAtee on what’s helped him break into the first team

James McAtee feels a consistent playing style across Manchester City’s first-team and youth squads has helped him adapt to the senior set-up in recent years.

The youngster was speaking after it was announced he has signed a new contract with City, which runs until 2026.

McAtee made his first-team debut earlier this season when he came on during the latter stages of the 6-1 League Cup win over Wycombe Wanderers, while he’s since played in the Premier League and FA Cup.

The 19-year-old has adapted quickly to the senior set-up and says this has been helped by the Pep Guardiola’s side playing in a similar style to the club’s various youth teams.

It’s a philosophy which has been ingrained at some of Europe’s top clubs, including Barcelona, where Guardiola previously played and coached, and he’s evidently brought those methods to the Etihad.

“At first when I joined it [first-team training] was very overwhelming, but I just needed to realise that I wasn’t there to just fill the numbers and try and contribute to training,” McAtee told City’s media team.

“I get advice from the players and staff every day. I would say the one that has stuck with me is to try and earn the trust of not just the manager but the players, so they can trust you when they pass to you or trust you when you are on the ball.

“The speed [of training] is just a big difference and the physicality. But when you just get into training every day and the players start trusting you, you get used to it. Since I joined the club, we have always played the same way, the City way. I think it has helped me when I jumped from the EDS [Elite Development Squad] to the first team. The playing styles were not too different.

“I am over the moon to extend my future at this club and to be able to train with the best players and staff in the world,” he added.

“I am really happy. My family are really happy about it and I spoke to them a lot about it. It was a big decision and hopefully we have made the right one.”

A proven path for development

Phil Foden may only be a few years older than McAtee, but the attacker credited the England international as the player he looks up to most in the squad.

Like McAtee, Foden came through City’s youth ranks and is now one of Guardiola’s key men in the senior side.

That development path clearly gives hope to McAtee and the younger members of the squad “I know he is only young, but I would have to say Phil Foden,” McAtee explained. “The way he has shown the academy players that it is possible, I would have to say him.

“It gives us all a bit of hope and they don’t feel like it is never going to happen. When you see CJ [Egan-Riley], Luke [Mbete], Liam [Delap] and people like that do it, it is possible.

“I have grown up with CJ Egan-Riley my whole life so when I saw him make his debut for the first team, I was so proud of him,” he added.

“I think it is just good to have people your age around so you can speak to someone and see how they are going. You can share advice with each other and you can help each other.”