James McAtee has no interest in leaving Nottingham Forest anytime soon amid reports linking him to former side Manchester City.
According to Football Insider, James McAtee wants to continue with Nottingham Forest and remain at the club for the foreseeable future. Manchester City are reportedly linked with re-signing the midfielder owing to a buy-back clause they have as part of the deal with Forest, with the midfielder not keen on a return.
James McAtee was seen as a top talent when coming through at Manchester City, but the plethora of talent at the Etihad was the major reason for a blocked pathway to regular first-team action. The midfielder signed for Nottingham Forest despite spending time in Pep Guardiola’s first team for considerable periods.
Nottingham Forest signed him for a reported £30 million fee in the summer of 2025, although he took his time to cement a place in the first-team plans. McAtee ended up making 14 league appearances with another 10 games in the Europa League.
His fortunes have changed considerably at Nottingham Forest following the departure of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City. This season, McAtee has been a mainstay in the Forest midfield, making seven appearances so far; the Englishman seems destined to continue on that pathway.
McAtee wants to stay at Nottingham Forest
The lack of game time in his first season at Nottingham Forest led to speculation over the summer, with relegated West Ham United linked with a move. The Tricky Trees had no interest in selling then, and given his performances in the new campaign, they are unlikely to open that door.
However, Manchester City are reportedly showing an interest in re-signing McAtee ahead of future windows, as they seem determined to keep adding talents suitable for their system. The report states that the club have a buy-back clause as part of their deal to sell the English playmaker to Forest.
The price point of the buy-back clause remains unclear, although it could still see Forest make a considerable profit if they decide to sell. Should Manchester City trigger the clause, Oliver Glasner’s side may not have the power to stop it unless the player is against the idea.
As things stand, McAtee has no interest in leaving Forest and making a return to Manchester City. The midfielder is happy with life and the game time he is achieving under Glasner, which could see him turn down overtures from his former side.
From a sporting side, he may feel that the presence of Anderson, as well as others such as Enzo Fernandez at Manchester City, may once again curtail his importance in the team. Hence, there might be a decision from the player to keep his current trajectory intact rather than swapping for uncertainty over at the Etihad.
