James McAtee is expected to leave Manchester City this summer after the club allowed him to miss the Club World Cup
James McAtee
James McAtee has scored seven goals for Manchester City this season
(Image: Getty Images)
James McAtee is set to leave Manchester City after the club allowed him to represent England this summer at the Under-21 European Championship. The 20-year-old midfielder will head to Slovakia this summer on national team duty despite Pep Guardiola suggesting that his players should be in the United States with the people paying their wages.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak spoke this week about wanting to have the new first team squad as complete as it can be in time for the Club World Cup, targeting the summer tournament as the start of their new season. Allowing McAtee not to be part of it gives the green light to a host of interested clubs that want to sign the £25m playmaker.
McAtee was convinced to stay at the Etihad last season by Pep Guardiola, with the club turning down bids of £30m as well as loan enquiries. Only four players in the squad managed more than his seven goals across the campaign, although the manager admitted that he should have been used more when the team were struggling in the winter months.
Even after that, Guardiola then left him out of the final three matchday squads of the campaign including the FA Cup final. The manager spoke highly of him often, although that talk did not translate into enough game time.
England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley asked for McAtee to be made available this summer and City's decision effectively welcomes offers for him.
Leverkusen had an approach turned down in January, and while Xabi Alonso has left his successor Erik Ten Hag had discussed United making an offer when he was in charge at Old Trafford; Frankfurt, Dortmund, Leipzig and Stuttgart have also shown interest.
McAtee is believes to be keen to on a move to the Bundesliga given how he has seen similar players shine in the league and enjoy regular Champions League football.
Kevin De Bruyne moved to Wolfsburg at the same age, while more recently Jude Bellingham, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Jadon Sancho all took their chance in the league.
Nottingham Forest and Spurs are among several Premier League clubs to be interested in keeping McAtee in England in what could be a busy race to sign the 22-year-old.
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