Officials at Manchester City have reportedly rejected an opening offer for James McAtee from Nottingham Forest, according to new developments.
City remain open to sanctioning a sale of the attacking midfielder, but only if their valuation is met and perhaps if the terms of any departure include favourable clauses, such as a buy-back or sell-on agreement.
McAtee, who impressed in two loan spells at Sheffield United in the Championship and Premier League despite their relegation from the latter, is currently attracting significant interest across the Premier League and beyond.
Manchester City’s long-standing stance has been to command a permanent fee in the region of £40 million for McAtee, moving closer towards the fee they secured from Chelsea for Cole Palmer in 2023. With homegrown quotas and squad space tightening at the Etihad Stadium, and the emergence of other young midfielders such as Sverre Nypan and Claudio Echeverri, a permanent departure is viewed as the most likely outcome this summer.
However, despite the club being prepared to part ways with the Salford-born starlet, Manchester City are not under pressure to sell quickly and there is confidence within the club that McAtee’s valuation will only grow as the window progresses and as more clubs assess their own creative midfield options closer to deadline day.
It is detailed that Forest are ‘pushing’ for an agreement over the England Under-21 international star while Manchester City are holding out for a bigger fee, with other clubs interested.
Forest’s interest comes as the club seeks to bolster its midfield options, and McAtee’s blend of technical control, final-third productivity, and versatility makes him a priority target, and the Midlands club are expected to return with an improved offer.
Beyond Forest, there is also interest from Bundesliga clubs and other Premier League outfits. Brighton are believed to remain attentive to the situation, while West Ham United and Everton are also known admirers.
As for City, the situation is unlikely to drag into late August if a club is willing to meet their demands, although the club would prefer to resolve McAtee’s future before the start of the competitive campaign, particularly with Pep Guardiola looking to streamline his ranks.
Should Forest return with an improved proposal in the coming days – perhaps closer to the £35 million – and agree to any clause demands, a deal could move quickly. However, with other clubs monitoring developments, there is no shortage of options for both the player and Manchester City in the weeks ahead.
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