Pep Guardiola confirms two new Manchester City first team additions from the academy
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that two academy talents, Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee, will join the first team following his side’s convincing 4-2 victory over Chelsea in a pre-season friendly.
With many senior players absent during the pre-season due to their extended breaks after international duties, Guardiola had the chance to test several young talents. Both McAtee and O’Reilly stood out with their impressive performances.
Discussing the futures of the academy talents who played with the first team in the United States, the Spanish coach expressed his belief that O’Reilly and McAtee are certainly well-prepared for senior football with the club.
"Both of them [McAtee and O’Reilly will be first team options]. The other ones still they are not ready to play with us. They have to be loan or second team. We will see their development because it always depends on them," he said. (via Manchester Evening News)
McAtee has been with the City Football Academy since 2013. The 21-year-old was loaned to Sheffield United for the past two seasons, where he made a strong impression. He has continued his impressive form for Manchester City, notably providing two assists against Chelsea.
O’Reilly, a Manchester native, has also been solid during pre-season in the defensive midfield role. The 19-year-old could be a valuable backup for Rodri during the 2024-25 season.
The Manchester City manager also praised the performances of senior players Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish. Kalvin Phillips, who has excelled as a center-back in the last two games, and Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb were also mentioned for their improved performances.
What next for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City?
Manchester City had a mixed pre-season in terms of results. They lost their opening games to Celtic (3-4) and AC Milan (2-3), but bounced back with a 2-2 draw against Barcelona and a 4-2 victory over Chelsea.
Guardiola will likely be pleased with the preparations, especially with Erling Haaland, who ended the tour with a remarkable hat-trick against Chelsea.
With senior players set to return this week, Guardiola’s team will shift focus to preparing for the Community Shield against arch-rivals Manchester United on August 10. Despite the return of several stars, the Spaniard might resort to picking the youngsters who impressed in the pre-season.
After the Community Shield clash, Manchester City will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their opening Premier League game, followed by their first home match of the season against Ipswich Town.