James McAtee was encouraged to join Leicester City this season but his determination to return to Sheffield United saw the Blades land their top target in this summer's window – but the interest stopped him playing in last week's big game at home to Everton.

Manchester City were keen to loan their highly-rated attacking midfielder out for experience this season, but having him playing in the Premier League was not such a big priority.

Instead they encouraged him to speak to Championship Leicester, managed by Pep Guardiola's former assistant Enzo Maresca, who is trying to bring a similar brand of football to the east Midlands, and had made an unbeaten start to the season until they ran into Hull City last week.

But despite all that, McAtee was keen to follow up a promotion-winning season at Sheffield United, and agreed a second season-long loan on deadline day.

The Blades courted McAtee even before his first loan ended, and supporters joined the charm offensive too, giving the 20-year-old an even warmer reception than local lad, former player and boyhood fan Kyle Walker when City played at Bramall Lane last month, with McAtee an unused substitute.

And whilst McAtee's determination to return to South Yorkshire held sway, chief executive Stephen Bettis said Leicester's interest stopped him joining in time to be registered to face the Toffees.

Asked why that had not happened, Bettis explained: "The window closed on Friday (1st) and on Thursday lunchtime he was at Leicester. Him and his agent are in a car ringing me saying 'Book us into a hotel, Steve, because we are telling them he is coming to you and playing Premier League football. James wants to come to you'.

"When I came to the ground for the Everton match (the next day) I was stopped about four times by fans asking 'Why didn't you sign him before 12 noon?'

LATE ADDITION: James McAtee is paraded before the Bramall Lane crowd the day after rejoining on a second season-long loan from Manchester City

"I was up until 1am sending Man City everything. It wasn't done until 1.30pm (on Friday).

"A lot was out of our hands. We had done everything to get him in a couple of weeks before and did everything to get him signed for 12. It was so frustrating

"The problem is deals get talked about for weeks and people think we have been doing them for that long but the reality is he was at Leicester training ground on Thursday afternoon."

A McAtee-less Blades drew 2-2 with Everton who, like themselves, kicked off the game without a Premier League point this season.

How James McAtee's Sheffield United bond helped him resist Leicester City's charms - just not in time to face Everton