New James McAtee update emerges as West Ham push to sign £30m-rated Nottingham Forest star | OneFootball

West Ham United have opened talks with Nottingham Forest over a potential move for James McAtee this summer

West Ham United are yet to make any additions this summer following the relegation from the Premier League, but things are beginning to heat up around the London Stadium in recent weeks, as the Hammers begin talks with an ambitious move for a Premier League attacker.

With Nuno Espirito Santo preparing to lead West Ham into their first Championship campaign in over 14 years, the East London outfit return to the second tier with lofty expectations.

The recent £85 million fee they have received from Tottenham Hotspur for midfielder Mateus Fernandes will certainly help to mitigate the loss of Premier League revenue, whilst also boosting their potential spending power this summer.

The last time Nuno was in this division was in 2018 with Wolverhampton Wanderers, with whom he guided to the league title, and the Portuguese head coach will face similar expectations, if not even higher this time around.

As the Hammers prepare for an immediate return to the top flight, Nuno will be busy writing up an extensive list of potential targets this summer, and is seemingly ready to return to his former club to prise away a highly-rated attacker.

West Ham United have opened talks with Nottingham Forest for James McAtee this summer over a potential swoop

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It was reported by the Daily Mail on Sunday that West Ham were eyeing up a move for Nottingham Forest attacking-midfielder James McAtee this summer, with the Englishman having struggled for game time at the City Ground last season.

McAtee, 23, joined Forest just last summer for around £30 million from Manchester City, but played fewer than 300 minutes of Premier League across the campaign in 14 appearances, predominantly being utilised in the Europa League under each of Nuno, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche, and, most recently, Vitor Pereira.

Now, TEAMtalk have reported that the Hammers have now entered discussions with Forest over a potential move for the former Man City academy player.

McAtee struggled to nail down a place in the side in his first year with Forest, with each of Morgan Gibbs-White, Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye, Dilane Bakwa, and Nicolas Dominguez offering stern competition.

West Ham are looking to capitalise on McAtee's lack of game time, with Nuno targeting a swift reunion for a player he signed for a lucrative fee just last summer.

A loan move is a possibility, given his contract at the City Ground doesn't expire until the summer of 2030, but the Hammers could tempt Forest to recoup a fee in the region of the £30 million they paid for him just 12 months ago.

The former England youth international has 62 Premier League appearances to his name already, and possesses a decent amount of experience playing at the highest level, although is no stranger to the second tier, having played in it during the 2022/23 campaign with Sheffield United, with whom he scored nine and assisted three in 37 appearances for.

The 23-year-old would be an incredible coup for West Ham, even despite the lucrative fee, which would smash the Championship transfer record out of the water, as the Hammers accelerate their transfer plans this summer with an audacious swoop for McAtee.

Nuno Espirito Santo sets his sights on an immediate Premier League return with West Ham United as James McAtee talks accelerate

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As previously mentioned, Nuno is no stranger to the Championship, having lifted the second tier title with Wolves back in 2018, with whom he could boast the likes of Diogo Jota, Willy Boly, and Ruben Neves in his squad.

Similar star-power will be wanted by the Portuguese head coach in East London this summer, as McAtee has the potential to spearhead the Hammers back to the top flight.

Indeed, West Ham ought to be most people's favourites for the title next season, and additions such as McAtee will only emphasise those expectations.

A deal in excess of £30 million would smash the current record, set by Ipswich Town last summer for Sindre Walle Egeli at £17.5 million, out of the water, as West Ham prepare to lay down the marker and assert their dominance early on.