Manchester City plot inclusion of major contractual clause in James McAtee’s next transfer | OneFootball

James McAtee will have the door left open to a Manchester City return when he signs for his next club, which remains undecided at this stage despite widespread interest.

The England youth international is one of several homegrown players whose long-term future lies away from the Etihad Stadium, with the club currently favouring midfielders already firmly integrated into Pep Guardiola’s senior system.

Having been granted back-to-back loan spells with Sheffield United prior to his first full season as a Manchester City first-team player, James McAtee’s next move is expected to be permanent, but carefully structured to maintain future flexibility for his current employers.

There has already been significant Premier League interest in the 22-year-old, with Nottingham Forest launching a £25 million bid that was turned down by Manchester City earlier this week.

That proposal, while reflective of McAtee’s growing reputation in the game, was not deemed sufficient by the Etihad Stadium hierarchy, who are aiming for a fee closer to the £42.5 million granted by Chelsea for Cole Palmer in 2023.

City’s position aligns with their evolving model of recent player exits, where top Academy or fringe players are sold with clauses that enable future control, including Romeo Lavia, Liam Delap, and James Trafford – all of whom were transferred with either buy-back clauses or percentage-based sell-on arrangements, and the latter returning via such clauses this week.

Now, according to MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, Manchester City will include a buy-back clause in any deal they agree for James McAtee this summer, having recently rejected a £25 million bid from Nottingham Forest.

The report also names Eintracht Frankfurt as a firm option, while RB Leipzig interest is said to be dependent on the future of Chelsea target Xavi Simons, and Borussia Dortmund have kept a close eye on the midfielder this summer.

A move to the Bundesliga may appeal to McAtee over a mid-table Premier League switch, particularly given the league’s reputation for nurturing English youth talent and providing immediate top-flight opportunities.

Dortmund, in particular, have a proven record of accelerating young midfielders’ development – a potential key factor in McAtee’s final decision, while Frankfurt’s own stability and attacking style could also prove attractive.

If Leipzig were to lose Simons to Chelsea, their need for an agile, technically-gifted attacking midfielder would intensify, making McAtee an obvious candidate. Manchester City, for their part, are seemingly happy to delay a final decision until the right combination of financial and developmental assurances are met.

With the 2025/26 campaign on the horizon, and James McAtee still present in pre-season training, there is no rush from Pep Guardiola’s side. But the direction is clear that a transfer is likely, and so too is the possibility that McAtee’s City journey may one day resume.