Man Utd eyeing summer transfer move for Man City midfielder

Manchester United are considering a move to sign Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.

McAtee returned to the Etihad last summer, having spent two seasons on loan at Sheffield United, and has impressed when called upon this term, scoring seven goals in 25 appearances for the English champions.

Pep Guardiola has been effusive with his praise for McAtee but regular minutes have been hard to come by, with the versatile 22-year-old making only his second league start of the campaign in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

While Kevin De Bruyne’s impending departure is set to free up space in City’s midfield ranks, The Telegraph suggest McAtee ‘faces an uncertain future’ as the club press ahead with moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz.

It’s claimed United, Nottingham Forest, Bayer Leverkusen, Newcastle and AC Milan are all keeping tabs on McAtee’s situation ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report adds that City rejected a proposal from Bundesliga champions Leverkusen to sign the England Under-21 international on loan in the winter.

The Salford-born McAtee, who joined City at the age of just 10, has just one year remaining on his current deal and is keen to ensure he is guaranteed regular game-time next season.

McAtee made his first-team debut for City as a second-half substitute for Josh Wilson-Esbrand against Wycombe Wanderers in the Carabao Cup in September 2021.

The City academy graduate has gone on to make 32 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood team and lifted the Community Shield last August as Pep Guardiola’s men defeated Manchester United on penalties.

‘I didn’t allow him to play minutes so I cannot ask anything from the players who don’t play a lot of minutes. They could do better? No,’ Guardiola said of McAtee ahead of City’s recent victory over Villa.

‘Macca has this quality, the ability to create. He is there.

‘The game worked better against Crystal Palace, you create chances. Macca close to the box is quite similar to Phil. They are there, a sense.

‘It’s difficult to train, to make that movement because the ball is coming. If he plays minutes he will score.’

Guardiola was unable to confirm one way or the other whether McAtee would still be a City player next season.

‘For the age, I’d like him to stay. But I understand the players want more minutes,’ the City head coach added.

‘I would like him to stay, he’s a player for the academy, he knows the patterns.

‘He’s a lovely person and trained really good. He can play different positions but I don’t know how the squad will be and we will see.’

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