James McAtee’s dramatic 24-hour transfer u-turn involving Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen revealed | OneFootball

Manchester City have bene embroiled in a dramatic u-turn involving one of their star first-team players and interest from Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.

Events seem to have unfolded over a period of 24 hours, after the reigning German top-flight champions both registered formal interest in Manchester City’s James McAtee, before u-turning on their stance following a breakthrough in talks with another profile of player.

The England youth international has found himself at the centre of uncertainty this month, with Manchester City and Pep Guardiola keen to retain his services for at least the remainder of the season, but also being aware of the player’s desire for more consistent game-time.

There have been more recent opportunities for McAtee to shine in the last few weeks, and the player himself has snapped at the chance by providing goals in abundance against the likes of Salford City and Ipswich Town.

However, those shining performances coupled with an element of frustration from the player’s part over season-long lack of opportunities has maintained transfer interest from some of the most prominent clubs on the continent.

As reported by insider Fabrizio Romano earlier this week, Bayer Leverkusen approached City over the signing of James McAtee on loan, plus an option to buy. However, both Pep Guardiola and City themselves hold a reluctance believing that he can become a regular starter.

Follow-up reporting from Sky Sports News in England claimed that Leverkusen wanted a €25 million option to buy, although Manchester City have already filled six loaning-out slots in accordance with FIFA rules.

Hours later, and all seemed to have fallen out of place via Leverkusen’s agreement to recruit Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia, with it decided that James McAtee would not be joining up with Xabi Alonso’s side, according to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany.

There remains every chance that James McAtee could intensify his desire to leave Manchester City before the end of the window, should the midfielder feel as though he would benefit greater from time away securing more consistent game-time.

Interestingly, McAtee told reporters during the summer that consistent minutes was not at the forefront of his thinking coming into the ongoing campaign, insisting upon his desire to simply learn from the very best – both in terms of players and Pep Guardiola himself.

“I’m not really fussed about minutes,” McAtee said in July 2024. “I just want to learn from the best manager, the best players and it’s not really about minutes. I’ve gone out and got my minutes, with the physicality of the men’s game.”

Should there be a change of thinking however, Manchester City will almost certainly not be short of suitors for the player, both on the continent and within the Premier League, too.