Transfer insider Dean Jones has provided an update regarding the Leeds United loan pursuit of Manchester City youngster James McAtee.
The lowdown: Hot property
According to a fresh report from the Daily Mail, Leeds, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and La Liga outfit Villarreal are all keen on acquiring the services of McAtee ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The 19-year-old is highly regarded at the Premier League champions and it's believed that there would need to be assurances regarding potential playing time when deciding upon the best landing spot for the England youth international.
Now, one knowledgeable onlooker has shed some further light on the admiration from Elland Road as Victor Orta attempts to make further additions to Jesse Marsch's squad...
The latest: 'Leeds are looking at...'
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones - who writes for Eurosport - has claimed that Leeds are certainly 'looking at' the possibility of signing the three-cap England Under 20 starlet on loan.
He said: “I think that it’s something Leeds are looking at and they’re interested in him. I don’t think anyone is convinced that Manchester City will let him out, so they might have to wait until the end of the window.
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“I think McAtee is also cautious about making sure he lands at a club where he gets opportunities, so there’s still lots to do there.”
The verdict: Make it happen
Likened to David Silva and Phil Foden, McAtee has certainly caught the eye in his fledgeling career to date, directly contributing to 71 goals in 87 outings for the youth teams at City.
Handed a debut by Pep Guardiola last season, the Salford-born sensation was described as 'exceptional' by the Spaniard and made five further outings for the Manchester giants throughout the 2021/22 campaign.
Predominantly performing as a central attacking midfielder, McAtee can also operate in numerous advanced positions and would therefore be a welcome addition to Marsch's forward-thinking options for the upcoming season, particularly following the departure of Raphinha and injury to Adam Forshaw.
Having already shown a willingness to hand opportunities to talented youngsters such as Joe Gelhardt, Lewis Bate and Sam Greenwood, age appears to be no obstacle when it comes to finding a path into Marsch's plans and therefore Thorp Arch could be the ideal place for McAtee to continue his development.