Pep Guardiola's Manchester City masterplan involves relegated Premier League player

A new-look Liverpool side (off the pitch, at least) will be seeking to take on the same old Manchester City this season. Pep Guardiola is still at the helm — but he's revealed his latest plan to keep things fresh .

Guardiola gave a tearful tribute to Jurgen Klopp last season, and it remains to be seen how he gets on without the German constantly driving him to greater heights. From a Liverpool perspective, the hope is clearly that Arne Slot can push him just as much.

There's also Arsenal to think about now. It has established itself as a legitimate Premier League challenger under Mikel Arteta, so Guardiola is unlikely to be short of stimulation.

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But the Catalan is never one for complacency, and he has a plan to shake things up a bit at the Etihad as he seeks to win a record-extending five titles in a row (undoubtedly to the detriment of the brand of the "greatest league in the world"). Perhaps surprisingly, his idea involves a relegated Premier League star.

Liverpool would be the last side to pour scorn on that notion. Andy Robertson has proved to be a transformative presence since arriving from relegated Hull City, while Xherdan Shaqiri became a cult figure after joining from Stoke.

In Manchester City's case, the player in question is already on the books. James McAtee spent his second consecutive season on loan at Sheffield United, where he suffered pretty comprehensive relegation from the top flight.

But Guardiola saw enough to be keen on integrating McAtee into the first team this season. Perhaps he's anxious of avoiding a Cole Palmer repeat — in any case, he was effusive in his praise.

“I’d love to have James McAtee and to keep him next season," said Guardiola, per Fabrizio Romano . “He’s special guy to play in small spaces, in the pockets, we don’t have many. I’ve a high, high opinion of McAtee and I also know his huge potential."

From that, it seems pretty clear that McAtee will be in and around the Manchester City squad this season, a vast upgrade from Sheffield United. All eyes will be on whether the 21-year-old midfielder (who also spent time as a right winger and striker at Bramall Lane) can better his return of three goals and three assists from last time out.

Liverpool.com says: Manchester City is starting to see the fruits of its academy investment, with a steady stream of high-level youth talent now at Guardiola's disposal. The reliance on marquee transfers has duly diminished, with Phil Foden the most prominent example.

Whether McAtee can be the next to make the step up remains to be seen. He did look better than his surroundings at Sheffield United last season, but that's not saying a great deal.