Manchester City eye £20 million transfer fee for rising midfielder with seven first-team appearances | OneFootball

Etihad Stadium officials are reportedly targeting a transfer fee in the region of £20 million for academy graduate James McAtee this summer.

The 21-year-old made an emotional return to Sheffield United for the last campaign, having experienced promotion with the Bramall Lane club from the Championship into the Premier League in 2022/23.

However, despite having opted for a return to the Blades amid interest from Leicester City among other clubs, the most-recent loan agreement was not as fruitful as he and his teammates endured immediate relegation back into the EFL Championship.

As such, McAtee has another big decision to make this summer to not only secure himself more consistent top-quality game time, but also understand whether he remains in the long-term plans at Manchester City.

A new report on the situation has outlined that the latter is unlikely to be the case, with the Premier League champions having outlined a market valuation on the Academy graduate amid growing interest in the playmaker.

According to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, James McAtee has already returned to training at the City Football Academy and is ‘keen to hear’ what his employers have to say with regards to his future.

It is claimed that while another loan move away from the club is ‘unlikely’, there is a belief that Manchester City could demand as much as £20 million for the exciting attacking midfield talent this summer.

Across the course of last season, James McAtee recorded 31 appearances in Premier League matches for Sheffield United, scoring three goals and providing a further three assists in the process.

Speaking upon re-joining the Blades for a second successive season last summer, McAtee credited the emotional element of a move as being a ‘big factor’ in choosing Bramall Lane over the likes of the King Power Stadium.

“The emotional connection with the club and opportunity to play in the Premier League were big factors,” McAtee said, while Leicester City would ultimately endure the most successful of the two seasons, having won promotion under Enzo Maresca as Championship winners.

It remains to be seen what clubs will register a formal interest in James McAtee this summer, however the player is unlikely to be short of options across all of Europe’s leading divisions given his capabilities and high-regard at the Etihad Stadium.