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“Pep Guardiola Reveals Shocking Reason Why West Ham and Crystal Palace Won’t Land £20m Star in January..
For the 15th time in 17 Premier League matches, a player reportedly on the radars of West Ham United and Crystal Palace found himself on the bench.
It’s understandable for neutral observers to question what Manchester City’s young talents need to do to break into Pep Guardiola’s struggling squad.
As Aston Villa handed Man City their ninth defeat in the last 12 matches across all competitions, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Nico O’Reilly, and James McAtee were once again left on the sidelines as Manuel Akanji, Ilkay Gundogan, and Bernardo Silva failed to impress.
McAtee, who is reportedly valued at £20 million, was expected to play a bigger role this season. After a promising loan spell at Sheffield United in 2023/24, where he impressed despite the team’s poor performance, McAtee returned to the Etihad. He even started and stood out in the Community Shield win over Manchester United in August. However, since then, he has only had two brief appearances in the Premier League, totaling just two minutes of play.
Reports indicate that clubs like West Ham, Crystal Palace, and even German champions Bayer Leverkusen are closely monitoring McAtee’s situation. However, Guardiola dismissed the idea of a January departure during his Friday press conference, stating, “Leave? No I don’t think so.”
Guardiola also explained why players like O’Reilly and McAtee have not been given the chance to break into the starting XI over City’s more experienced, yet underperforming, players.
“That is a good question,” Guardiola admitted. “But with the situation we’re in, I take responsibility for the senior players.” He noted that he had considered introducing Simpson-Pusey during last week’s Manchester derby but ultimately opted not to. “In the bad moments, the players who need to show what we’re about and what they’ve done in the past, I give them the responsibility to try to lead us and turn the situation around.”
Guardiola acknowledged that it might seem unfair but emphasized that players with more experience are relied upon in challenging times. He also reassured that the young players are always ready and capable when given the opportunity.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace and West Ham are both looking to strengthen their attacking options. McAtee, who scored three goals in 31 Premier League appearances for Sheffield United, remains a potential target. His standout moment came with a stunning curled goal against Brentford, helping the Blades secure one of their few top-flight wins before relegation.
Crystal Palace are reportedly eyeing Lyon forwards Rayan Cherki and Ernest Nuamah, as manager Oliver Glasner seeks to bolster his attack. They are also in talks with Millwall’s Romain Esse. West Ham, on the other hand, are focused on strengthening their center-forward position and are intensifying their pursuit of Igor Jesus from Botafogo.
