James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly get clear message from Man City transfers
James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly have been told to accept more competition for places at Manchester City in the second half of the season.
The club knocked back interest in both players in the January window, despite Pep Guardiola's limited use of them this season. City were not willing to sanction O'Reilly going to Chelsea without a buyback clause inserted into any deal, while enquiries from a number of clubs including Bayer Leverkusen for McAtee were turned down; loan exits for Kyle Walker and Juma Bah also meant no clubs abroad could loan the 22-year-old.
It means that the two homegrown talents will have to put all of their energy for the rest of this season into putting themselves in Guardiola's plans. As the manager said last week, it is down to all players in the squad to prove their importance on the pitch.
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"We don't have enough players, we have a World Cup at the end of the season, we have a lot of games. I think he can play more minutes, he has to fight and I am really pleased for Macca," he said.
"I understand the frustration, absolutely. I was a football player, I have incredible empathy to feel what he can feel. But the same happens for other players and they have to be ready.
"We don't want anyone unsatisfied, you know my opinion on that. In the middle of a season with the problems that we had, I have a feeling that we need him, I need him, it's simple."
Guardiola has started to turn to McAtee more in recent weeks, bringing him off the bench in six of the last nine matches and starting him against Salford in the FA Cup. However, the playmaker will now have to compete with January signings Nico Gonzalez and Omar Marmoush as well as the returning Oscar Bobb.
The same goes for O'Reilly, although he could also be given an opportunity at full-back after impressing there against Salford. The 20-year-old has come through the academy as an attacking midfielder, but Guardiola believes he has potential in a more defensive position.
