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(Credit: Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Sun 3 August 2025 8:00, UK

Cole Palmer’s 2023 move to Chelsea has set the benchmark in Manchester City’s attempts to sell James McAtee this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about City’s efforts to extract maximum value for McAtee.

McAtee is one of several big-name first-teamers who Pep Guardiola is looking to sell this summer and he has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs, after leading England Under-21s to Euros glory.

Football Insider revealed that Man City are keen to “accelerate” McAtee’s departure with PSR in mind, and want to maximise his value given his status as an academy product will ensure a 100 per cent profit.

After Nottingham Forest saw an intial bid of £25million for McAtee turned down, Football Insider sources have said that City are trying to get as much as they can despite the midfielder’s contract running down.

McAtee has just 12 months left on his City contract, but sources have told Football Insider that after Cole Palmer‘s £42.5m transfer in 2023, Guardiola doesn’t want to let McAtee leave on the cheap.

Pep Guardiola is willing to let McAtee leave as part of Manchester City’s squad rebuild (Credit: Imago)

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Palmer has been the definitive ‘one who got away’ after hitting the ground running at Chelsea to become one of the Premier League’s best players, and that £42.5m fee has proven to be the ultimate bargain.

Speaking on the new Inside Track, O’Rourke said that Man City want to prevent McAtee leaving the club for less than his true worth, and as a result are playing hard-ball with Forest over his transfer fee.

“I think it’ll be a decent fee that Manchester City will be looking for McAtee”, he told Football Insider.

“City know that he will represent pure profit on the balance sheet, so they’ll be trying to get as much as they possibly can.

“He’s only got 12 months remaining on his contract, but they want to hold out for something similar to what they got for Cole Palmer, who left Man City for Chelsea for £42.5million.”

Photo Credit: IMAGO

The likes of Everton, West Ham and newly-promoted Leeds United have all shown interest in McAtee this summer, but so far only Nottingham Forest have made good on their interest with that £25m offer.

Forest have since signed Bologna’s Dan Ndoye for £34.6m in a potential blow to their pursuit of McAtee, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s side remain in talks over a deal for the 22-year-old with his future uncertain.

Premier League clubs could see Palmer as the exception rather than the rule when it comes to attacking midfielders from City’s academy, and it remains to be seen who will be willing to stump up a fee in the region of £40m for a relatively unproven talent.
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