Palmer made an impressive full Premier League debut in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Everton while 18-year-old McAtee made his PL debut as a second half substitute.
Asked about the quality and potential of the pair at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Paris Sant-Germain, Gundogan was full of praise for their attitude and application.
“Both of these players and even more - there are more players after them - they have already shown how much potential they have,” the German midfielder.
“Seeing them in every training session is a joy and seeing how they get better in certain situations. It’s fun.
“They are not just looking at themselves and seeing their own potential. They are also very important for us because they help a lot in the training sessions. They will get more important for us.
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“Cole already played some games, James is starting too. Phil (Foden) is the best example for these guys. When they have the patience and the hunger to get better and adapt to the level of we older ones show they already have a bright future.
“They already help in training by supporting how the opponents might play. On top of that, they contribute themselves. They will get better. This is what our club wants.
“Our club wants players from the Academy getting into the first team and leaving a mark as Phil did. We can feel really happy we have so many good young players.”
Play the video to watch Ilkay’s press conference in full…
