Manchester City will reportedly continue demanding £40 million to sell James McAtee in the summer transfer window after Nottingham Forest failed with a bid worth £25 million.

According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, James McAtee is the subject of interest from Nottingham Forest. However, the Tricky Trees have failed with a bid worth £25 million to sign the Manchester City playmaker, with the Citizens demanding £40 million to part ways with him. The English playmaker is also a target for Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur.

James McAtee and his struggles to become a regular for Manchester City

James McAtee has endured a frustrating wait for regular game time since breaking into the first-team squad at Manchester City. The 22-year-old has made his mark in his sporadic outings, and he was exceptional during his loan stint with Sheffield United. However, Pep Guardiola has not trusted the young player enough, with his stock falling after Manchester City signed several attackers this summer.

The English youth international has turned out only 34 times thus far for Manchester City, with most of his appearances coming in the 2024/25 season. However, the youngster will unlikely be a regular for Manchester City next term, and the situation has piqued the attention of several well-known clubs. Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Tottenham Hotspur are among the prospective suitors vying for his signature in the summer transfer window.

A man in demand

The Englishman has been on Crystal Palace’s radar for a long time. The continued interest makes sense, considering Eberechi Eze faces an uncertain future at Selhurst Park. While McAtee is not at Eze’s level right now, he has the potential to be a long-term replacement for his compatriot at Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest’s interest in James McAtee is understandable. The Tricky Trees are keen on reinforcing their offensive unit in the summer transfer window as they prepare for a campaign in Europe. However, Nottingham Forest’s bid worth £25 million has failed to convince Manchester City, with the Premier League giants demanding £40 million to part ways with him.

As for Tottenham Hotspur, James Maddison has not been consistent enough for the North London outfit, and he has struggled with fitness issues throughout his spell with the club. So, McAtee is a viable target for Tottenham, and the Englishman’s ability to play on the flanks makes him an appealing option to replace Richarlison.

With Manchester City demanding £40 million to part ways with McAtee, it will be interesting to see if Nottingham Forest will submit an improved bid to secure his services. However, with Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bundesliga clubs also vying for the 22-year-old English playmaker’s services, the battle for his signature may go down to the wire.