Leeds United are one of several clubs thought to be interested in the Manchester City youngster.
Reported Leeds United target James McAtee looks set for the Manchester City exit door after being brutally left out of his side’s FA Cup final matchday squad on Saturday.
McAtee was made to watch from the sidelines on Saturday as City fell to a 1-0 FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace, a result which confirmed they will end the 2024/25 campaign trophyless. The 22-year-old had been heavily involved in the competition’s opening rounds, scoring a hat-trick against Salford City, but he was benched for the quarter-finals, suspended for the semi and then left out entirely for the Wembley showpiece.
The FA Cup had provided rare respite from another frustrating season for McAtee and that only made his weekend absence more surprising, with Pep Guardiola opting instead to have 19-year-old January arrival Claudio Echeverri on the bench - he eventually came on for a City debut. A cup final appearance might not have encouraged the academy prospect to stay at the Etihad beyond this season, but his omission could well prove the final straw.
Pep Guardiola explains brutal snub of Leeds United-linked James McAtee
“It was just one reason,” Guardiola said of his decision to leave out McAtee and teammate Rico Lewis. “I said before three or four times, it is so difficult for, I think, all the managers now. We bought a few players in the winter time, and now all the players are recovered, and we have 24 players, and the last four or five [games], all the time three players were out, all the time.
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“And I wanted to change a little bit, because I don’t have anything against, of course, Rico, Maca, because I appreciate them. Nathan [Ake] has come back for the first week of training, and then I try to be fair with the guys, not just to disappoint them.”
'Award winning South Indian Restaurants proud to carry Leeds United in our hearts'.'Award winning South Indian Restaurants proud to carry Leeds United in our hearts'.
'Award winning South Indian Restaurants proud to carry Leeds United in our hearts'. | 'Award winning South Indian Restaurants proud to carry Leeds United in our hearts'.
McAtee will enter the final 12 months of his City contract this summer and as of yet, he is yet to receive an extension proposal, with it looking increasingly likely the academy graduate is sold for pure PSR profit. An expensive summer rebuild is expected in Manchester, and such outgoings will prove crucial to funding prospective moves for the likes of Florian Wirtz or Tijjani Reijnders.
If indeed Leeds pursue a move to McAtee, the challenge won’t be luring him away from City. It will be convincing the England youth international Elland Road is the best place for his development. Reports of interest from West Yorkshire also named Nottingham Forest and Bayer Leverkusen as potential rivals - two clubs who will both offer European football, at Europa League-level as a minimum.
Leeds cannot offer European football, nor yet can they offer any level of top-flight stability beyond the ambition to spend and a stadium development to back it all up. But they will be able to give McAtee the kind of regular football that has proved elusive at City, and his FA Cup final omission might only strengthen the desire to secure consistent starts elsewhere.
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