Fiorentina Want To Sign 22-Year-Old Manchester City Player: Should The Sky Blues Retain Him? | OneFootball

James McAtee is no stranger to Manchester City fans. From a young age, his creative football caught the eye at the Citizens’ academy, where they always dreamed of polishing him up like they did with Phil Foden. At 22, McAtee finds himself at that delicate point where a talent of his kind must step up to establish himself.

The numbers speak for themselves: he has played 34 games with the first team, most of them in the 2024/25 season, but he has not managed to break through the barrier of constant substitution. Many wonder if this young man, born in 2002, is destined to shine in the sky blue shirt or if his path requires another setting in which to grow. This is where Fiorentina reappears on the scene, reminding us that this is not the first time they have shown interest in him. This time, they seem determined to persevere.

Fiorentina Want To Sign Manchester City Player James McAtee

According to La Nazione and Firenze Viola, the Italian side want to strengthen its attack and are once again looking at McAtee as their summer signing. The frustration of not having signed him earlier, coupled with his decline in prominence following the arrival of Claudio Echeverri, opens a door that excites La Viola. Although Bundesliga clubs such as Borussia Dortmund have sounded out his signing, Italian football could be a natural step for an attacking midfielder who needs quality minutes. Earlier, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham also wanted him.

Manchester City, aware of the difficulty of offering him a stable place in the squad, would not stand in the way of a move that benefits all parties. The ongoing summer transfer window thus becomes a great opportunity for McAtee to find a place where his free and versatile style of playing feels important.

Opinion:

However, retaining McAtee as a mere substitute seems like a waste of youth and talent. Phil Foden proved that it is possible to make his way at the Etihad, but not everyone follows the same path. McAtee, unlike Foden, has not had that constant nod of confidence. The little he has played has shown moments of brilliance, incisive dribbling and good reading between the lines, but never enough to make him indispensable.

Sending him to Florence could give him the consistency he cannot find here. Furthermore, it is key for City to maintain a healthy flow with European clubs such as Fiorentina. Loan or selling promising young players creates links that, in the future, can facilitate other operations. It would not be a favour, it would be pure strategy. At the same time, Guardiola and his technical team must reflect on how to balance the pressure of competing for all titles with the responsibility of polishing gems from the youth academy.

Every year a new potential Foden emerges, but few go so far. If McAtee succeeds in Serie A, City will gain prestige as a training club and keep more doors open. We think a transfer is best for him. Football is about time and confidence, two things that cannot be bought. Fiorentina, in need of fresh ideas, can give him that, and Manchester City, while seeking to dominate Europe, cannot afford to wait for a youngster who needs playing time now. If it works out, everyone wins.