‘That’s why I said to Txiki’ - Pep Guardiola explains reasons behind major Manchester City transfer decision

Pep Guardiola has said James McAtee’s unique ability to attack the ‘small spaces’ was a major factor in the Manchester City midfielder remaining at the club this summer.

The midfielder has attracted Premier League transfer interest and resolving McAtee’s future was one of Guardiola’s biggest decisions heading into the summer window, following two years on loan at Sheffield United. 

But the City boss confirmed in his first pre-season press conference that he wanted McAtee to remain at the club, and he made his first-ever City start in Saturday’s Community Shield victory over Manchester United.

Speaking after the game, Guardiola was insistent that both he and fellow youth-team product Oscar Bobb ‘ have the standards to be here’.

“He knows all the process and how he moves in the pockets,” the former Barcelona manager added on McAtee. “I think his period at Sheffield helped him a lot to give value in how difficult is football; to suffer to get points, the physicality, win duels, defend deep. 

“This kind of stuff normally in the City academy they don’t do that. It helped him a lot playing there but when you find players in the small spaces that attack the final thirds, have a sense of goal, it is difficult to find these sorts of players. 

“McAtee has that quality. That's why I said to Txiki [Begiristain] in the beginning of the season I don't want to loan him or sell him. I need him because I need a specific quality in the small space and McAtee has this ability.”

It was a youthful line-up for City in Saturday’s derby, with the Blues naming four academy products and six players aged under 23. On the back of a superb pre-season tour of the US, Bobb was among the standout performers again on Saturday and provided the assist for Bernardo Silva’s late equaliser. But Guardiola said he wants to see more consistency from the Norwegian.

“We want more. The actions in the final third he has to do more regularly. Sometimes he has the chance to take the ball and go and he is a little bit passive, but he has something unique. From a stop, the first steps right and left are unbelievable. 

“He has an incredible work ethic, his intensity in pressing and reading to defend is really good, but he's still young. Still he has the ability to do it, he has to do it more regularly.”

Included in Guardiola’s youthful XI were Nico O’Reilly and Savinho, both of whom made their City debuts in the Community Shield; the latter coming off the bench while O’Reilly made up a three-man midfield along with Mateo Kovacic and McAtee.

The teenager didn’t look out of place, but had a few tough moments against United’s quality midfield of Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes. 

“He will do better. It's normal,” was Guardiola’s honest post-match verdict. “In Wembley, when you play for the title, I understand. He will do better next time he plays, but he helped us a lot. In sometimes the simple things he is so good, so clever. 

“He missed some balls but completely understandable and I prefer to take that risk than don't be active or don’t do it. It's a good experience for him, he’s so young.”

And Savinho? “Yeah good impact. Playing on both sides, playing on the left he has incredible quality, attack the byline,” opined the City boss. “After he is really good in the crosses. The first and second post when he plays he will help Erling to score goals. 

Not just inside he was aggressive. When you have that good feeling, attack the opponent. It doesn't matter if you dribble or not, you have to do it. It’s your quality. It doesn’t matter after if you are ineffective, you have to do it. And he did it really well in the minutes he played.”