Former club chief claims Manchester City star spotted at Liverpool hotel in major transfer hint | OneFootball

Manchester City’s expectedly outgoing creative midfielder James McAtee has seen his future linked with Merseyside after a new claim from a former Everton official.

The 22-year-old’s long-term future appears to lie away from the Premier League giants, with City open to a permanent sale this summer, in a deal that is likely to include a buy-back clause or sell-on percentage — a model they have frequently used for Academy products.

McAtee himself is understood to favour a move that ensures top-level minutes, and with interest from both England and Germany, the coming weeks are expected to be decisive.

Bundesliga clubs have already shown sustained admiration for the midfielder, particularly from the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund, while Premier League outfits such as Nottingham Forest have tracked his development closely.

Having spent two seasons on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship and Premier League, enduring a mixed campaign as the Blades were relegated, McAtee gained valuable first-team experience in the process that will only serve him well in his next steps.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Everton’s former CEO Keith Wyness – who now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – revealed that James McAtee was recently seen at a hotel in Liverpool, sparking rumours over Toffees interest.

“We know that there’s going to be up to about eight incomings, which is a lot, but I think we’re going to see that. I think they’re busy,” Wyness admitted.

“I had a very good source of mine tell me that James McAtee was seen at a hotel in Liverpool recently. It’s one of those classic stories that you read about all the time, was last seen in a baker’s shop near the stadium. It did come from a reliable source,” he insisted.

Wyness continued, “So there may well have been negotiations going on there, and I hope there have been. There’s been a lot of talk about different players.

“I think we’re going to see about eight different players coming in, plus things like a backup goalkeeper, and all those sorts of positions. It’s going to be a very busy summer at Hill Dickinson Stadium.”

The Merseyside club are in the midst of a major rebuild under David Moyes and are targeting youthful, technically gifted additions who can develop in the Premier League while improving the club’s long-term value on the pitch and in the market at a time when the team are preparing for a big move to a new home.

For Manchester City, a deal with Everton may represent the ideal scenario — a Premier League loan or permanent move with clauses attached, allowing them to monitor McAtee’s development closely.

With Everton pressing ahead with a host of potential incomings, developments around McAtee’s future may accelerate in the coming days. Whether the Liverpool hotel sighting was the first signal of formal talks remains to be seen — but this is now one to watch closely.