LATEST: Pep Guardiola Made Shocking Statement About Leicester City transfer blow

PEP GUARDIOLA DELIVERS ‘LOVE TO HAVE HIM’ LEICESTER CITY TRANSFER BLOW

The transfer window hadn’t even opened, indeed the finishing touches to the promotion season had not even been applied when the rumour mill started linking Championship title winners-elect Leicester City with James McAtee.

And now with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall no longer at the King Power Stadium and the Foxes needing attacking reinforcements in midfield the logic connecting them with the 21-year-old seems relatively sound, even if McAtee’s former Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca is now Chelsea boss.

The Salford-born starlet has spent most of his senior career out on loan, with two spells at Sheffield United and last term’s campaign an unsuccessful one as the Blades went straight back down after promotion.

Such is the strength of Man City’s squad there was early speculation that McAtee could be on his way out permanently – with Maresca inevitably credited with an interest. However, it seems Maresca’s former boss, Pep Guardiola has also taken a shine to McAtee.

Speaking via the club’s X account Guardiola praised McAtee and delivered something of a blow to clubs hoping to tempt him away from the Etihad.

Guardiola said: “We have a high opinion of him. I would like to see. I would love to have him next season with us – he can play in the small spaces in the pockets. I think he grew up in terms of physicality and has played for a team fighting relegation and when you do this you get something special.”