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(Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media, Imago)
Callum O'Connell
Tue 12 August 2025 13:42, UK
Nottingham Forest are pushing to sign James McAtee and are now “close” to reaching an agreement after Man City dropped his asking price.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the two clubs are edging towards a compromise on his valuation.
McAtee, 22, has been subject to interest from a number of clubs this summer but Forest now look set to pip Premier League and Bundesliga rivals to his signature.
Football Insider revealed on 3 August that Man City want £35million to sell McAtee amid growing interest in his signature at this stage of the window.
James McAtee is likely to leave Man City this summer.
(Credit: Imago)
Forest, meanwhile, value him at closer to £20million and are confident that they can reach an agreement which works for both clubs in it’s structure.
Brown told Football Insider that McAtee will not be a Man City player at the start of next season and is not in Pep Guardiola’s plans for the future.
This article contains exclusive comment from Mick Brown, a football transfer expert and former chief scout for Man United and Sunderland among others.
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Brown told Football Insider that, alongside a number of top clubs, Nottingham Forest sent scouts to watch McAtee at the Under-21s European Championships.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that “a deal is close” as the clubs remain in negotiations over the fee.
“Forest are pushing to sign James McAtee,” he told Football Insider.
“City have been prepared to get rid of him because they can raise good money from the sale.
“The price tag is the sticking point at the moment, I’m told City have been asking for around £40million, but Forest see him closer to that £20-25million mark.
“Off the back of his performances for England Under-21s, there’s been plenty of interest.
Nuno Espirito Santo is determined to strengthen his squad.
(Credit: Imago)
“Forest are the ones leading that race now, though, and they’re confident.
“They’re not a million miles away in terms of agreeing a fee.
“I get the impression that City value him slightly above his market value, and Forest want to play just below, so negotiations are ongoing there.
“It’s not going to be difficult though, they’ll meet in the middle and I think a deal is close.
“They want to get it done quickly, so we’ll watch this space.”
McAtee is not the only player in Forest’s sights in the closing stages of the transfer window, as they remain interested in Juventus’ Douglas Luiz.
Football Insider revealed on 4 August that West Ham have joined the race for Luiz, while Man United and Forest remain keen to land him in the coming weeks.
Douglas Luiz could move back to the Premier League.
(Credit: Getty Images)
Juventus are keen to shift the Brazil international from their books, but are demanding a permanent fee of £40million while the Premier League clubs would prefer a loan.
This comes after Brown told Football Insider in March that Nottingham Forest are keen to sign Luiz as scouts have been keeping tabs on his progress.
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