Nottingham Forest have set their sights on Manchester City’s James McAtee as a potential summer signing, signalling their intent to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The 22-year-old midfielder, who has found first-team opportunities limited at the Etihad, is attracting significant interest from Forest, even if the club manage to retain current wide players Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
McAtee’s situation is particularly intriguing as he enters the final year of his contract with Manchester City.
Despite making 24 appearances and scoring seven goals across all competitions this season, most of his game time has come from the bench, with only a handful of starts under Pep Guardiola.
The uncertainty over his future is compounded by City’s pursuit of new attacking midfielders, and with Kevin De Bruyne expected to depart, the club is reportedly considering moves for the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz.
Nottingham Forest is currently leading the race for McAtee’s signature, according to Sky Sports, ahead of rivals such as Newcastle United, Manchester United, AC Milan, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen, in particular, had a loan bid rejected in January but remains keen on the player.
Forest’s interest is driven by McAtee’s versatility, which can operate across the front line and his potential to develop further with regular Premier League football.
While Manchester City have not indicated a willingness to sell, McAtee’s contract situation and his desire for more consistent playing time could open the door for a summer move.
Forest, who are close to Champions League qualification, see McAtee as an ideal addition to their squad, capable of injecting creativity and energy into their attacking play.
Securing his signature could prove a major coup as the club looks to build on recent progress.
