Nottingham Forest register interest in James McAtee as Manchester City consider Florian Wirtz package deal | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing James McAtee from Manchester City in the summer transfer window, as per a new report.

McAtee has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at the Etihad Stadium and having been very patient for minutes in a struggling Manchester City side, the 22-year-old has found his feet in the first-team ranks in recent months.

The Salford-born attacking midfielder has three goals in 13 Premier League outings this term and has been in fine form in Manchester City’s run to the FA Cup semi-final, where they take on Nottingham Forest at Wembley after coming from behind to beat Bournemouth in the quarter-final.

Bayer Leverkusen have held direct talks with Manchester City over a summer deal for McAtee, who wanted a move away from the Etihad Stadium in January for regular first-team football amidst frustrations over a lack of game time under Guardiola.

McAtee’s stock has never been higher and after scoring on his full Premier League debut in a stylish 5-2 win against Crystal Palace, the England U-21 international was again handed a start by Guardiola in a 2-1 victory at home against Aston Villa in midweek.

Manchester City’s interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz – who is seen as an ideal replacement for the departing Kevin De Bruyne – could well see McAtee go the other way when City strengthen their interest in Wirtz and test Leverkusen’s resolve by tabling an offer when the transfer window opens in June.

As reported by Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports, Nottingham Forest have registered their interest in McAtee and are looking to bring the Manchester City academy graduate to the City Ground to bolster their attacking ranks.

However, it remains far from certain that Manchester City will look to cash in on McAtee in the summer and it could well happen that unless he is part of a package deal for Wirtz, the Englishman stays on at the Etihad Stadium if he keeps up his recent spell of form and helps his boyhood club book their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.