Chelsea and Leeds United are all set to battle it out for the signature of Nottingham Forest midfield sensation James McAtee.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Chelsea and Leeds United are both keen on acquiring the services of James McAtee, who hasn’t been able to establish himself as a key figure at Nottingham Forest since joining them from Manchester City last summer.
The Tricky Trees forked out around £30 million to sign the City graduate. While manager Sean Dyche and the club hierarchy rate the 23-year-old quite highly and are confident about him becoming one of their mainstays, he hasn’t had the desired impact so far.
He has suffered because of a lack of continuity, and working under three different managers in five months hasn’t helped him either. So far, he has only been involved in 10 matches and has racked up just 428 minutes of first-team action.
Premier League duo to battle for McAtee
The lack of game time has put interested clubs on alert, and they seem set to raid Nottingham in the upcoming transfer window. Leeds United and Chelsea are two of the most serious suitors for his signature.
The Yorkshire-based club have a long-standing interest in the 23-year-old. They have been looking to sign a new attacking midfielder in the winter window, having missed out on Fulham’s Harry Wilson during the summer, and they consider McAtee an ideal fit for their project.
Leeds to face stiff competition from Chelsea
Meanwhile, Chelsea are all set to rival Leeds in their pursuit. While the Blues already have a lot of options in that position, they are always on the lookout for opportunities in the market and consider him to be an ideal fit for their long-term plans.
Ezno Maresca is a massive admirer of the English youth international, having worked with him during his time at Manchester City. He already has his former teammates Cole Palmer and Liam Delap in his ranks, and is now eager to add McAtee to the mix.