James McAtee sends honest message to Pep Guardiola after difficult Nottingham Forest start | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest playmaker James McAtee has explained the reasoning behind his Manchester City exit in the summer.

McAtee decided to join Forest for £30 million in the recent transfer window for regular playing opportunities away from the Etihad Stadium after being a bit-part player for Pep Guardiola last term, wherein Manchester City underwent their most challenging season in nearly a decade under the Catalan.

The England U-21 international captained the young Three Lions to European Championship glory in the summer as he mulled over his future and assessed his options to progress his career away from his boyhood side.

Having considered a Manchester City exit in January, McAtee stayed put and helped the Blues record a third-place Premier League last term, notably scoring on his full Premier League debut in a 5-2 win over Crystal Palace in April.

City underwent a major squad revamp in the summer as Hugo Viana replaced long-serving Txiki Begiristain as director of football and signed off on a series of notable departures, with all of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Ederson and Ilkay Gundogan leaving the club.

McAtee struggled for consistent minutes last term and as he looked to take his career forward, it was agreed that the best decision for all parties was an amicable parting of ways as clubs across Europe expressed interest in the Salford-born midfielder.

The Manchester City academy graduate is set to come up against his former club in December, with City looking to win their fifth Premier League title in six seasons. Speaking on the prospect of facing his former teammates in an interview with Four Four Two, McAtee said: “I’ve not even thought about it but it will be fun and interesting.

“I want to try to impress here (at Forest). I just want consistent football, I feel like I’ve not had that for a good three years now – and it’s hard to always get back in the rhythm straight away.

“But I know that I have to work hard for it and prove myself. In every good team, you’re going to have to battle for your spot. That’s something I’m willing to do.”

McAtee was joined by Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji through the exit door in the summer as the latter pair also left on season-long loans to play regularly at Everton and Inter Milan respectively amid uncertainties over minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

City have made a habit of selling their brightest academy talent to the rest of the Premier League in recent seasons, with Cole Palmer’s £40 million sale to Chelsea probably still regretted at the Etihad Stadium to this day.

McAtee has his best years ahead of him and on the balance of things, few would argue against his decision to leave Manchester City in the summer but his decision to join Nottingham Forest – who have suffered a turbulent start to the season off the pitch – has come into question.