Alex Scott responds with gushing verdict as James McAtee posts blizzard of photos
03/25/2025 12:51 PM
James McAtee is set to return to Manchester City after an action-packed international break with England’s Under-21s.
McAtee’s prospects at the Etihad Stadium are under scrutiny after a winter transfer window dominated by clubs across Europe enquiring over his availabilty amid a lack of game-time for Pep Guardiola’s side.
City, however, kept hold of McAtee until the end of the season at least, rebuffing bids from the likes of West Ham, Leeds and Bayer Leverkusen with Guardiola opting to make more use of him in recent weeks.
For England Under-21s, however, McAtee has been an ever-present, winning 17 caps and scoring seven goals for Lee Carsley’s side, and their two matches this month have seen the 22-year-old hit form again.
McAtee hailed after England Under-21s impact
While Thomas Tuchel’s senior side produced two dominant performances to beat Albania and Latvia 2-0 and 3-0 respectively, their Under-21s’ matches with France and Portugal were far more goal-happy.
McAtee scored inside the opening 60 seconds against Les Bleus in Lorient, which proved to be the first of eight goals in an eventual 5-3 defeat for England, in which skipper Taylor Harwood-Bellis was injured.
| Player | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Left on Bench |
| James McAtee | 21 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 23 |
As a result, McAtee skippered the Young Lions at The Hawthorns as they also took an early advantage against Portugal; Ethan Nwaneri putting England 2-0 up inside 10 minutes and on course for a 4-2 win.
After teeing up Jaden Philogene’s 91st-minute clincher, McAtee took to Instagram (25 March), posting photos taken from both matches over the break and saying: “Enjoyable camp back with the boys”
Bournemouth midfielder and Under-21s team-mate Alex Scott responded to McAtee, simply saying: “What a player.”
McAtee must make first-team claims ahead of England farewell
With nine league matches remaining for City this term and an FA Cup quarter-final on the horizon, McAtee won’t have much time left to make an impact ahead of the European Under-21s Championships.
England’s Under-21s will head to Slovakia this summer as defending champions after beating Spain in the 2023 final, but as a player born in 2002, this will be McAtee’s last chance to impress at youth level.
McAtee’s long-term future at City remains under a cloud as he bids to make the step up into England’s senior side, and with the playmaker still yet to make a Premier League start in sky blue, an exit may be his only route towards regular first-team minutes.
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