Though Man City have only just secured an era-defining treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, it’s a fair bet that Pep Guardiola is already working on how his team will set out to defend their titles in 2023/24.
A first day of the season trip to his star pupil, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley will be a great start to a campaign where, somehow, the Catalan will try and better what’s gone before.
There may well be some sales and purchases to freshen things up at the Etihad Stadium, though there will also be those players that are strictly off limits.
One midfielder who is definitely not going anywhere even though there has been reported interest is 20-year-old James McAtee.
The Daily Mail note that Guardiola wants the player, who spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, to start the new season with his first-team.
Clearly, McAtee for all of his evident skills, will find it difficult to immediately break into a team that were far and away Europe’s best in 2022/23.
However, being a squad member in such a high-quality environment can only enhance those skills.
As Guardiola’s more established stars get older, whose to say that he’s not given a chance in the side for certain games in much the same way as Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer have been.
It shows foresight on the manager’s part and no little risk, but doesn’t risk bring reward…