Nottingham Forest confirm signing of Manchester City’s James McAtee | OneFootball

Manchester City have finalised the exit of James McAtee to Nottingham Forest, in a permanent transfer that has been announced by both clubs this weekend.

McAtee’s future has been a key talking point throughout the summer window, with the midfielder linked to a number of Premier League and Bundesliga clubs.

While Manchester City were prepared to consider his long-term involvement, the reality of increased competition in midfield – following the arrivals of Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders – pushed the Academy graduate closer to the exit door.

City’s track record of allowing young talents to depart with future safeguards built in meant negotiations always seemed likely to end in a structured permanent deal rather than a straightforward loan.

The Salford-born playmaker had spent two seasons gaining vital senior experience away from the Etihad Stadium with Sheffield United. But Forest’s ambition and willingness to pay a significant fee ultimately made them frontrunners when the player became available off the back of his first full season at City.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have been aggressive in targeting young domestic talent, and McAtee fits into their strategy of adding Premier League-ready players with long-term value.

City have also been busy managing exits across their Academy crop this window. James McAtee follows fellow prospects out of the club in recent years, while speculation continues around the futures of Rico Lewis and Claudio Echeverri, with City weighing up whether loan or permanent moves are best for their development.

As announced by Nottingham Forest on Saturday night, the City Ground has welcomed James McAtee as their latest signing of the ongoing summer market, recruiting the Manchester City Academy graduate in a deal worth up to £30 million.

It is widely believed that Etihad Stadium officials have included both a buy-back and sell-on clause in the agreement, ensuring that they have a financial interest in the player’s long-term future and retain the possibility of bringing him back to Manchester.

Speaking of his exit from the Etihad, McAtee told Manchester City’s official club website, “I would like to thank everyone at Manchester City for all of their support and guidance during my time here.

“I joined as a boy with a dream of playing at the highest level and I’ve been able to achieve that as part of Pep’s incredible squad. It’s been amazing every step of the way – from winning the FA Youth Cup, to making my first team debut and developing from there.

“I leave City with lots of great memories and wishing only the best for everyone involved in my development here.”

Offering his own thoughts on the deal, sporting director Hugo Viana said, “James has been part of City’s story for a long time having progressed through our Academy system from a young age.

“He is a great example of what our Academy is all about – finding local young talent and nurturing them to play at the highest level. The amount of players from our Academy not only in our squad but also around the Premier League is testament to that work.

“We all look forward to seeing how his career progresses and saying hello when we next face Nottingham Forest.”

For James McAtee, this transfer presents the opportunity to establish himself as a Premier League regular in a side where he will be afforded more consistent game time. Forest have already shown faith in young players such as Morgan Gibbs-White, and McAtee’s creativity could see him become a key figure at the City Ground.

From City’s perspective, including a buy-back clause ensures that Pep Guardiola and the Etihad hierarchy keep an option open should McAtee flourish in Nottingham. With the Premier League evolving rapidly, the club know the value of retaining future leverage over homegrown stars who could one day be integrated back into their squad.

This deal may also serve as a template for further Academy exits this summer, with Rico Lewis and others attracting Premier League interest. Whether City will sanction similar structures in future moves remains to be seen, but McAtee’s sale shows that the balance of immediate opportunity and long-term planning remains central to their transfer strategy.