Man City star on the move..interest comfirmed by City as decision is been made
Bundesliga Giants in Intense Race to Sign James McAtee Following England U21 Triumph
A fierce tug-of-war is developing among several top Bundesliga clubs as they battle to secure the services of highly-rated attacking midfielder James McAtee, who recently led England’s Under-21 side to European Championship glory with an outstanding display in the final against Germany.
McAtee, now 22, wore the captain’s armband with distinction under manager Lee Carsley and delivered a man-of-the-match performance in the final, significantly boosting his stock on the international stage. His contract with Manchester City is due to expire in just under 12 months, and with no fresh terms in sight, the Premier League champions are preparing to part ways with another of their promising academy graduates.
A permanent exit from the Etihad Stadium appears imminent this summer, but City are expected to retain some control over McAtee’s future by inserting a buyback clause into any deal – a move they notably did not make when Cole Palmer joined Chelsea for a reported £42.5 million two years ago.
McAtee’s talents have not gone unnoticed in Germany, where five Bundesliga clubs are closely monitoring the situation. Among the most interested are Borussia Dortmund, who are set to sell another former City youth product, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, to Chelsea in a £55.5 million deal. Dortmund see McAtee as a natural successor in terms of creativity and flair.
RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Stuttgart have also expressed interest, while Bayer Leverkusen – under the guidance of Xabi Alonso – are believed to be long-standing admirers of the player. All of these clubs view McAtee as a valuable long-term asset capable of thriving in the high-intensity, technical style of the Bundesliga.
McAtee is reportedly valued at more than £25 million, and Manchester City are in a strong position to negotiate such a fee, especially given the player’s recent international exploits. His potential departure would contribute significantly to City’s already impressive earnings from academy sales. The club is nearing the £400 million milestone in profit from youth product transfers over the past decade – a testament to the success of their elite development program at the City Football Academy.
Last season, McAtee enjoyed a productive campaign with seven goals in 27 appearances, further enhancing his reputation as a dynamic and intelligent midfielder. However, his path to more regular first-team football at City has been further complicated by the arrival of Rayan Cherki from Lyon and the return of Norwegian prospect Oscar Bobb, who is recovering from a fractured leg.
McAtee’s decision to remain with the England Under-21 squad for the European Championship – rather than travel with Pep Guardiola’s team to the FIFA Club World Cup – has paid off handsomely. His standout performances at the tournament have justified that call, elevating him to one of Europe’s most in-demand young midfielders.
Meanwhile, Manchester City are preparing for their next challenge at the Club World Cup, facing Al Hilal in the last-16 stage in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The match, set to be held at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, may be affected by adverse weather conditions. Thunderstorms are predicted, and fans will recall that a pre-season friendly against Barcelona last summer at the same venue was delayed by 80 minutes due to similar storm activity.
The encounter with Al Hilal will also bring some familiar faces back into contact with City. Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo, who left the club following disagreements with Guardiola in January 2023, is expected to line up for the Saudi Arabian side. Behind the scenes, Al Hilal’s executive structure includes several former City officials, including Esteve Calzada – once the chief commercial officer of City Football Group – and Marc Boixasa, a trusted performance adviser to Guardiola’s squad during his early years in Manchester.
As Manchester City prepare for life without yet another academy gem, James McAtee’s story could become one of the summer’s defining transfer sagas. Whether he ends up in Dortmund yellow, Leipzig red, or Leverkusen black, the stage appears set for the England starlet to take his career to new heights on the continent.
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