Nottingham Forest have a strong interest in Man City’s James McAtee.
The midfielder had his best season in a sky blue shirt last time around; however, McAtee is expected to leave Man City over the coming weeks, as the 22-year-old looks to find a club that can offer him regular minutes for his development.
There have been several clubs interested in the midfielder, but Nottingham Forest are the only side to have bid for McAtee, with the £25m proposal being turned down by Man City.
Man City want £40m for McAtee, and as a result, Forest may have just turned to another target, with the Midlands club making a move for a more versatile midfielder by submitting a £35m bid in recent days.
James McAtee in action for Manchester City v Feyenoord.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Nottingham Forest submit offer for Omari Hutchinson
The £40m price tag Man City have placed on McAtee is hampering their ability to sell the midfielder, and it may be the reason no other club has bid for the English star.
Forest looked like the 22-year-old’s next destination, but that has now received a blow, as Nuno Espirito Santo has made a move for Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson.
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According to David Ornstein, the Tractor Boys have rejected an opening bid worth £35m for the 21-year-old, with Ipswich holding out for more to part ways with one of their star players.
This is not good news for McAtee, as Hutchinson is another attacking midfielder who has a higher ceiling, while also having the ability to play on the wing.
Having kept hold of Morgan Gibbs-White, it doesn’t look like Nottingham Forest would need a third number 10, which may force the Premier League club to pick between the two.
How James McAtee compares to Omari Hutchinson
McAtee and Hutchinson have similar traits, such as their dribbling ability, while being very technical, creative players who also have a high work rate.
The biggest difference is the Ipswich star’s speed and directness, while the 21-year-old’s ability to play wide is also an advantage the Englishman has over the Man City midfielder.
Player Games Goals Assists Minutes
James McAtee 27 7 0 936
Omari Hutchinson 32 3 2 2605
James McAtee and Omari Hutchinson’s 24/25 stats
McAtee produced more goal contributions than Hutchinson last season, but it needs to be brought into context the level of the teams both players were playing for, despite it being offset by the amount of minutes the Manchester City star played compared to the Ipswich ace.
It remains to be seen where Nottingham Forest go from here, which will likely depend on how much more Ipswich asks for to sell Hutchinson.
If the price is too high, Forest may return for McAtee; if not, the Man City star’s future looks even more unclear.