Manchester City midfielder James McAtee has told The Athletic that Liverpool released him when he was a kid and then tried to bring him back to the club.
McAtee made the revelation about Liverpool during an extensive interview with The Athletic.
The 20-year-old midfielder has been on the books of defending Premier League champions Manchester City since 2013.
The England Under-21 international is now on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship.
McAtee joined the Blades on loan from City in the summer of 2022.
The youngster has said that back when he was a kid, he had a trial at Liverpool.
Although the former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners initially released him, they wanted McAtee back.
Manchester City’s James McAtee on Liverpool release
“Liverpool released me as well,” said McAtee.
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The midfielder added: “It was some stupid nonsense. I went to a training thing for a week, they released me, then two weeks later asked me to come back. I was seven or something.”
Promising talent
Now, Liverpool may not thought much of James McAtee when he was a kid, but he has developed a lot over the years and is now one of the best young English players around.
That McAtee has already made appearances for the City first team shows just how highly he is rated by manager Pep Guardiola.
The midfielder is doing well on loan at Sheffield United at the moment.
McAtee has made 14 starts and 15 substitute appearances in the Championship for the Blades so far this season.
The midfielder has scored five goals and given two assists in those games.
In other news, Bundesliga names Arsenal, Liverpool target Julian Brandt as Player of the Month again
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