Headline: James McAtee Solidifies Role at Nottingham Forest Following Departure from Manchester City
Hugo Viana confirmed the permanent transfer of James McAtee to Nottingham Forest last summer. The 24-year-old midfielder began his senior career with Manchester City in 2021, completing two consecutive season-long loans to Sheffield United for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
In August 2025, McAtee signed a five-year contract with Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of around £30 million, marking his departure from his boyhood club.
Recent speculation suggests that Manchester City may be considering bringing McAtee back to the Etihad Stadium, especially in light of a buy-back clause in his contract.
McAtee departed City after scoring seven goals in 34 appearances across all competitions. He made his debut for Nottingham Forest during their Premier League match against Crystal Palace on August 24, 2025, and concluded the last season with three goal contributions in 26 matches.
The English talent has thrived in the current season, starting in all eight of Nottingham Forest’s matches in the Premier League, a stark contrast to his two league starts during his initial campaign.
This summer’s transfer window saw former Forest standout Elliot Anderson move to Manchester City as a club-record signing, creating a vacancy in head coach Oliver Glasner’s midfield. McAtee has stepped in, successfully filling the void by forming a strong partnership with Xaver Schlager, who joined from RB Leipzig in July.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke has downplayed rumors regarding a potential return of McAtee to Manchester City, indicating that the club is ‘not yet keen on exercising their option to re-sign the player.’
O’Rourke recently shared insights on the Transfer Insider podcast, emphasizing that McAtee, under contract at Forest until the summer of 2030, is becoming pivotal in Glasner’s lineup following Anderson’s exit. “I would be very surprised if it was on the cards,” he remarked. “Obviously, McAtee’s having a good season; his talent has never been questioned, it’s just that he didn’t get many chances last season at Forest.”
He continued, “He is becoming a key man under Oliver Glasner’s leadership, especially since Elliot Anderson’s departure. He’s also on a long-term contract, so I don’t expect much to come of the speculation regarding McAtee moving back to City.”
Meanwhile, Manchester City has also secured several high-profile midfield additions over the summer. This development renders a possible return of their academy graduate unlikely in the foreseeable future.
Enzo Maresca and his team will host Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League this Saturday, while McAtee and Nottingham Forest will take on Brentford in their next top-flight match this weekend.
