Manchester City exit beckons for midfielder after Pep Guardiola snub | OneFootball

James McAtee is relishing the prospect of playing in Germany as VfB Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen line up to sign the Manchester City attacking midfielder this summer, as per a new report.

The 22-year-old prefers a permanent move away from the Etihad Stadium for regular first-team football after playing a bit-part role under Pep Guardiola last term, making 27 appearances in all competitions and scoring seven times in 936 first-team minutes.

McAtee requested to leave in January but a personnel crisis and Manchester City’s concerning form saw Guardiola plead the Salford-born academy graduate to stay, with McAtee since playing a much greater role in the first-team in the business end of the season.

However, Manchester City are closing in on the signings of Lyon forward Rayan Cherki, Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders after the board let Kevin De Bruyne leave at the end of his contract.

Manchester City are reportedly eyeing a few more signings but expect to have the aforementioned trio through the door in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, with the ongoing 10-day transfer window shutting on June 10.

Guardiola and co are due to fly to the United States for the tournament in a week and it has been reported recently that Jack Grealish is set to be axed from the squad as the Manchester City record signing considers his future and looks for a new club.

McAtee has been named in Lee Carsley’s England squad for the U-21 European Championship – a preference that is highly likely to mark the end of the young midfielder’s Manchester City career heading into the new season.

The Bundesliga is often as McAtee’s preferred destination owing to the number of English players who have moved to Germany in the last five years and progressed their careers with regular first-team football at the likes of Borussia Dortmund.

According to Florian Plettenburg reporting for Sky Germany, VfB Stuttgart have added James McAtee to their shortlist and are monitoring the midfielder’s situation at the Etihad Stadium closely, with the 22-year-old entering the final 12 months of his contract at his boyhood club.

Eintracht Frankfurt have also made an enquiry for the former Sheffield United loanee and Bayer Leverkusen are also reportedly showing an interest – though there remains no formal contact between the 2024 Bundesliga winners and Manchester City.

McAtee has also attracted interest from Italy but prefers a move to Germany in the coming months – and Manchester City will look to cash in on their academy graduate for a suitable offer as he enters the last year of his current deal.

The midfielder’s departure will add him to the bracket of Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, Jadon Sancho, Morgan Rogers and many others who have come through the City Football Academy and sought a permanent transfer to progress their respective careers.