Leicester City are reportedly eyeing Manchester City youngster James McAtee as a potential summer target if they are promoted.
Manchester City starlet James McAtee is a target for Leicester City, according to The Sun.
The report adds that the Foxes will move for McAtee this summer if they earn promotion back to the Premier League.
Leicester City hired manager Enzo Maresca from Manchester City last summer, and the team promptly took advantage of the connection to the reigning Premier League champions.
Callum Doyle arrived on loan from the Citizens to bolster the Foxes’ defensive ranks. He has offered an option at both left-back and centre-back, as they have battled for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Now, with the end of the season approaching and a vital summer transfer window on the horizon, fresh claims of Leicester interest in another Manchester City prospect have surfaced.
Leicester City revive interest in James McAtee
The Sun reports that Leicester City will try to sign McAtee on loan again this summer, despite failing to do so last year.
McAtee, nicknamed “The Salford Silva,” spent last season in the Championship with Sheffield United, helping them win promotion to the Premier League, before returning for the current season.
While playing in a range of midfield and attacking roles, the 21-year-old has been a bright spot, chipping in with three goals and three assists in the league for the relegation-threatened Blades.
Leicester boss Enzo Maresca has expressed interest in the 21-year-old before, having chased him last summer.
Man City were supposedly keen for the midfielder to move to the East Midlands to link up with their former assistant boss Enzo Maresca, but McAtee snubbed Leicester to secure his Premier League move to Bramall Lane for the second straight year.
Clearly, McAtee prioritises playing in the Premier League, and with Leicester having the possibility to secure a spot in that league next Saturday, it could be a great move for both parties.
A loan move is most likely, with the Citizens still keen on retaining his services, seeing him as a natural replacement for Portuguese star Bernardo Silva, who has been a mainstay at the Etihad Stadium in recent years but has been extensively linked with a move away this coming summer.
Moreover, Financial Fair Play issues would likely prevent Leicester from having the chance to sign McAtee permanently, with the Sky Blues likely to want top dollar for the permanent sale of one of their top prospects.
