Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Salford City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2025 Manchester City's James McAtee celebrates after the match with Nico O'Reilly while holding the match ball after scoring a hat-trick REUTERS/Peter Powell
Nottingham Forest are preparing for their return to European football for the first time in almost three decades.
The Tricky Trees have upgraded their Conference League qualification to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were controversially demoted from the competition due to a breach of financial terms.
As a result, Nuno Espirito Santo has an intriguing campaign ahead as he attempts to maintain domestic competitiveness while managing a squad with limited experience in European football.
Summer recruitment will be vital.
After already losing Anthony Elanga to Newcastle United, the club have shown clear intent to retain their most valuable assets, with Morgan Gibbs-White signing a new contract.
Bringing in new additions that can add both quality and depth to the squad is imperative, and Forest have already secured the signings of Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha from Club World Cup competitors Botafogo.
It has been widely reported that the club are looking to strengthen further in attack before the window closes, with a move for Fulham’s Adama Traore a potential pursuit.
However, the spotlight remains firmly on their approach for Manchester City star James McAtee, following the rejection of a £25m bid earlier this week.
According to BBC reporter James Lewer, Forest are considering a second offer for the attacking midfielder.
Writing on social media platform X, Lewer stated:
“Discussions are ongoing at Nottingham Forest around making an improved bid for James McAtee.”
“An initial offer in the region of £25m was rejected by Manchester City.”
Should Nottingham Forest sign James McAtee?
With Gibbs-White expected to stay on Trentside next season, there’s a possibility he could be used more frequently on the right flank to replace Elanga.
Such a reshuffle could create an opportunity for McAtee to step into the central attacking midfield role, offering him more regular first-team football, an undoubtedly attractive prospect.
The 22-year-old – once hailed as “special” by Pep Guardiola – made 27 appearances and scored seven goals for City last season, although he averaged just 34 minutes per game across all competitions.
More recently, McAtee impressed at international level, playing a key role in England U21s’ European Championship triumph, scoring once and providing two assists during the tournament.
While breaking into Guardiola’s star-studded starting XI has been a challenge, there’s no doubt McAtee possesses immense potential and Nuno could be the manager to unlock it.
A £40m investment would be steep for Forest, but the deal could mirror that of Gibbs-White, who also arrived for a substantial fee with limited Premier League experience and has developed into one of the most talked about players in the top flight.
All things considered, a move for McAtee could prove to be a superb piece of business for the Garibaldi Reds – potentially making him not only a key figure on the pitch, but a highly valuable long-term asset for the club.
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