James McAtee’s “amazing” Sheffield United experience could help Blades repeat Man City trick

James McAtee has described his season at Sheffield United as “one of the best years of my life” - and pledged to recommend the Blades to any of his teammates after their hopes of securing his services again on loan were reportedly dealt a huge blow.

The Manchester City starlet, dubbed ‘the Salford Silva’ due to his similarities with the City legend, overcame a difficult start to life in South Yorkshire after signing on loan to establish himself as a key member of the Blades side that won promotion to the Premier League.

United were open to the idea of working with McAtee again but privately some members of staff suspected that the opportunity may not arise. Those fears have appeared to come true after a Daily Mail report today suggested that Pep Guardiola is keen to retain McAtee as part of his squad next season and will reject any loan approaches for the 20-year-old.

Whatever happens in the future McAtee will always be fondly remembered at Bramall Lane - and his time in South Yorkshire will always mean a lot, too. “All the staff have been great for me,” McAtee said. “Hecky, Macca, Jack - everyone.

“They have helped me so much; they have believed in me even when it wasn’t going well. It has been a huge season. If I was to talk to anyone about going out on loan, I’d definitely recommend coming here. It has been such an enjoyable experience and certainly one of the best years of my life. It has been an amazing time.”

McAtee impressed many with his ability but it was his attitude that stood out early on as he recovered from the disappointment of being taken off at half-time away at Luton Town, a game that was only his third senior start but almost entirely passed him by.

“I understand why people bring up Luton, but it was an experience which I have put to one side now," McAtee remembered in the book ‘Promotion is Soon’.

"It was important in terms of my development, and part of the learning process to give me an idea of what I needed to improve on. I think for me it was around Christmas time when I thought I was starting to show the real me on a regular basis.

“I was much more comfortable in my skills. There had been signs before then; I remember the Stoke game, which was a tough one for the team, but I had an impact. "We had a really young side out that day, but I think it was a time when I stepped up and that gave me some confidence. I knew in myself I had played better, there was so much more to come, but it was a step forward for me.”

‘Promotion is Soon’, featuring player interviews and stunning photos of the 2022/23 season, is out now, at United’s retail outlets and also via their online store, priced at £20.