Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom had been keeping tabs on Manchester City midfielder and current loanee James McAtee since June, as per a revelation from The Star.

The 21-year-old was a sought-after figure following another successful campaign in the Premier League giants' youth system, recording 18 goals and seven assists in just 23 Premier League 2 appearances.

His performances earned him call-ups to the senior squad on several occasions last term - and plied his trade in the Carabao Cup, the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League.

 

 

However, he wasn't exactly one of the first names on the teamsheet under Pep Guardiola and with City having a change of heart over his future after initially planning to keep him, the Blades were able to capitalise and secure their man.

It has since been revealed that Heckingbottom called former loanee Morgan Gibbs-White in June to get a deeper insight into McAtee, with the two plying their trade together in the England youth setup.

The 44-year-old was previously desperate to bring in a replacement or two for Wolves man Gibbs-White following his return to Molineux - and City's McAtee could potentially be the man to provide the goalscoring contributions needed with Gibbs-White recording 12 goals and 10 assists in 37 league appearances for the Blades during the 2021/22 campaign.

The Verdict:

Heckingbottom has certainly done his due diligence on the youngster and that's commendable - because many clubs would probably go for a player of McAtee's quality without taking a deeper look at him.

But you can also understand why this analysis has taken place because they need the right candidates to replace Gibbs-White if they are to have a successful campaign - because their forwards may not be able to come up with the goods.

Billy Sharp may be a reliable scorer - but Rhian Brewster has struggled for much of his time at Bramall Lane, Daniel Jebbison is still developing and Oliver McBurnie will even admit himself that he's been woeful in front of goal.

With this, they need a sufficient amount of goals from those in the advanced midfield spots, with Iliman Ndiaye and Reda Khadra both potentially contributing heavily to their cause this term if both can fulfil their potential.

McAtee is another player that can be a key contributor judging by his record in recent years, though it may take some time for him to adapt to a senior level considering he hasn't played too much under Guardiola.