Manchester City are currently in the process of revamping their midfield as Leeds United consider a summer move for James McAtee. Nico Gonzalez was brought in from Porto for a hefty £50m in January to not only fill in for the absent Rodri but also to be a long-term fixture in the centre of the pitch.
With Kevin De Bruyne's departure, there is a significant gap to fill. The Blues have set their sights on Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, although until they secure Champions League football for the upcoming season, they can't make any major moves.
Ilkay Gundogan's future remains uncertain despite him triggering an additional year in his contract, and there has been chatter about Bernardo Silva potentially leaving, which could drastically alter the look of the midfield.
One midfielder who has garnered a lot of attention this season is James McAtee. The club turned down offers for him last season because Pep Guardiola wanted to keep him, and also rejected opportunities in the January transfer window.
As he nears the end of his contract at the Etihad, City face a big decision regarding McAtee this summer. Here's the current situation with the midfielder as we approach the opening of the transfer window, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Guardiola's regret
Guardiola, who played a key role in retaining McAtee at City this season, has typically had high praise for him whenever he has spoken about him. However, this has been hard to reconcile given how infrequently he has been used.
Guardiola was frank earlier in the season, confessing that he had leaned on more seasoned players to pull City out of the rut they were in, simply because he was more familiar with their characters. It seemed like one of his more sincere moments when he admitted that one of his reflections on the season has been that he probably should have utilised McAtee and Nico O'Reilly earlier in the campaign.
Whether this will be enough to retain McAtee in the future is yet to be determined - particularly if Wirtz or others join and the midfield options become even more crowded. However, the manager has at least begun to trust the 22-year-old, who has started important matches recently against Palace, Villa, and Southampton.
Contract decision
McAtee is still waiting for a new contract offer as he nears the final year of his current deal. There are several City players in the squad in the same boat, but none whose future is so uncertain.
City have previously turned down offers up to £30m for McAtee, but his contract situation means that price should decrease if the Blues decide to sell him this summer. Any clubs interested in signing him are likely looking at the £20-25m range, as it's only one year of contract they would be purchasing.
Leeds not the only ones interested
McAtee was a known target for the Whites in the summer transfer window. United are a viable option for McAtee, although other clubs have been monitoring his progress for years.
Nottingham Forest could provide Champions League football next season and Bayer Leverkusen will again, although the exit of coach Xabi Alonso may alter their plans. City are planning to sign midfielders from both clubs, so McAtee could potentially be part of one of those deals.
The opportunity to remain at City and be included in Guardiola's plans for the next season would likely be the most persuasive offer, but after a challenging year for both player and club, it remains undecided what the summer has in store for McAtee.
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