Chelsea deal used as benchmark by Manchester City in major summer sale of first-team star | OneFootball

Manchester City are standing firm on their valuation of Academy graduate James McAtee this summer, referring to the sale of Cole Palmer when it comes to pricing.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder, who spent two seasons on loan at Sheffield United, is expected to leave the Etihad Stadium permanently in the coming weeks, as game time remains limited under Pep Guardiola.

While McAtee has long been regarded as one of Manchester City’s standout youth academy graduates, the club’s evolution — bolstered by new signings this summer — has made it difficult to guarantee regular first-team minutes in the 2025/26 campaign.

Interest in McAtee has surged in recent months particularly in light of his heroic performances en route to an Under-21 European Championship success with England, with several Premier League and Bundesliga clubs targeting him as a high-potential addition with experience.

That interest has only strengthened Manchester City’s hand, as they look to recoup a significant transfer fee while maintaining smart control over their Academy graduates’ futures through clauses such as buy-back or first refusal.

Now, according to The Telegraph’s James Ducker, City’s valuation of around £35 million on James McAtee is proving a stumbling block for suitors, with the likes of Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt competing for the player’s signature.

It is claimed that most suitors had been hoping to secure a deal at in the region of £20 million to £25 million, and while admirers have not been deterred by the difference in valuations, it is Forest who are thought to be among those who could advance their interest in the days ahead.

From the side of Manchester City, they have reportedly been using Cole Palmer’s £42.5 million sale to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 as a benchmark for James McAtee, who was left impressed by his visits to meet Frankfurt and Dortmund in the last week.

Should City reach an agreement with any of the interested clubs, a deal will likely include favourable terms for Manchester City officials such as a sell-on clause or a buy-back option to monitor in coming seasons.

This has been a consistent policy from Etihad officials in recent years, applied in sales involving the likes of Liam Delap to Ipswich Town and James Trafford to Burnley – which could work in the club’s favour this summer as the goalkeeper remains heavily linked with a return to City.

The next few days could prove pivotal, particularly with Nottingham Forest reportedly accelerating talks as they aim to finalise squad plans ahead of the new Premier League season, and with doubts remaining over the future of Morgan Gibbs-White. However, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund should not be ruled out at this stage.