Leeds United showed transfer interest in Manchester City midfielder Pep Guardiola specifically wanted to keep | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola denied Leeds United the chance of signing one of Manchester City’s standout midfield talents by making his desires clear of keeping hold of the player.

The summer transfer window saw plenty of activity in the way of issuing loan agreements for star youth players at Manchester City, as the club look to nurture their rising prospects in the best way possible and in the best-suited environments across the European game.

Among the names to have left the Etihad Stadium on temporary deals are Issa Kabore, who brought an end to a summer training with Pep Guardiola’s side by joining UEFA Champions League outfit SL Benfica on a season-long agreement.

Elsewhere and Callum Doyle signed on to a fourth successive loan move in the EFL Championship, joining Premier League-chasing Norwich City and beginning life in Norfolk by claiming the club’s August Player of the Month award.

Speaking during an interview with The Square Ball earlier this month, Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear revealed that the Elland Road club had shown an interest in Manchester City’s James McAtee during the summer transfer window.

“Two of the other players, looking at the level we were looking at, (James) McAtee at Man City, there was talk he might be released all the way through the (summer transfer) window,” Kinnear revealed.

However, it is pointed out by Kinnear that despite initial hopes of being able to recruit James McAtee, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola decided to keep the two-time Sheffield United loanee for the ongoing season.

James McAtee secured his first Etihad Stadium start for the club on Tuesday night of this week, named in the Manchester City starting line-up that dismissed of Watford in the Carabao Cup third round.

Opportunities are only expected to grow for the player this campaign with matches coming thick and fast for Guardiola and his squad, with the manager also confirming that he would be heavily rotating his side throughout the League Cup in particular.

As such, that could present McAtee with the chance of starting for Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of October, with a trip to North London having been scheduled in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.