Nottingham Forest ‘lead race’ for Newcastle United target that Pep Guardiola has admitted could leave
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Newcastle United will face stiff competition if they want to sign Manchester CIty midfielder James McAtee this summer.
Nottingham Forest will reportedly pose as the main competition for McAtee’s signature this summer, with Newcastle United and, surprisingly, Manchester United also being linked with a move for the midfielder. Interest from Tyneside in McAtee first emerged during the January transfer window, and reports this week from the Telegraph have hinted at a renewed interest from St James’ Park.
However, they also report that Forest are currently leading the race for McAtee, with interest from AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen potentially further complicating matters. McAtee is out of contract next summer and, if no extension with the Citizens is agreed before January, then Milan and Leverkusen have the chance to swoop for his signature on a pre-contract agreement - something English clubs do not have the option to do.
The 22-year-old has played 25 times in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, although the majority of those appearances have come off the bench. With Kevin De Bruyne leaving this summer, there is a hole for McAtee to potentially fill, but he may also view a move away from the Etihad Stadium as his only way to guarantee regular first-team football.
Pep Guardiola’s James McAtee transfer admission
Speaking earlier this season, Guardiola admitted that McAtee had every right to be frustrated with his lack of gametime and that selling the midfielder is a possibility if he decides he wants to leave the club: "For the age, I'd like him to stay.” Guardiola said.
“But I understand the players want more minutes. 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."
City have seen a plethora of academy talents leave the club in recent years, with Cole Palmer and Liam Delap among those to leave the Etihad Stadium and flourish elsewhere in the Premier League. Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, who continues to be linked with a move to Newcastle United, is another player that failed to make the step-up into Guardiola’s first-team but has been able to showcase their talents elsewhere.
Premier League summer transfer window dates
The summer transfer window will open on Sunday 1 June in England, but close again on Tuesday 10 June. This is because of an exceptional registration period for the Club World Cup which will take place in the USA this summer.
Every club will be eligible to do business during this first initial summer window. Chelsea and Manchester City, meanwhile, are England’s two representatives in the reformatted Club World Cup.
The window will then open again on Monday 16 June and run until deadline day on Monday 1 September. The English transfer window will run in concurrence with Europe’s top leagues and will not close before the season gets underway - despite that move being raised by sporting directors at Premier League clubs earlier this year.