Nottingham Forest have turned their attention towards signing Man City midfielder James McAtee in the summer transfer window.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Forest scouts have been watching the 22-year-old this season.
However, Forest will face stiff competition for his signature as the likes of West Ham, Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen have also been keeping tabs on his displays.
This comes after Brown told Football Insider that McAtee will not be a Man City player next season, placing a number of clubs on alert over his availability.Ahead of Forest’s ambitions of qualifying for European football, Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to bolster his options in the transfer window.
Meanwhile, Brown told Football Insider that McAtee is not part of Guardiola’s plans for the future and the boss is prepared to sanction his exit this summer.
Football Insider revealed on 29 April that McAtee is considering quitting Man City for Forest in an attempt to kickstart his career with more regular football.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, has insisted that“Forest are interested in signing James McAtee,” he told Football Insider.
“They’ve identified the type of player they want to add to their midfield, and their scouts have been keeping an eye on his progress this season.“
He’s a very talented player, there’s no doubt about that.“Nottingham Forest want to prepare for European football, and they need to strengthen their squad.
“Especially if they lose some of their best players, which of course they want to avoid.
“I think McAtee would do well for them, he’s bright and talented and will be looking to prove himself, like some of those other players in the Forest team.“They won’t be the only club interested, but they’re certainly going to be in amongst them.”
Forest’s ambitions of signing McAtee have come amid speculation that Morgan Gibbs-White could be set to move the other way and join Man City.
Brown told Football Insider that Man City will hold preliminary talks with Forest to assess the possibility of a move for the England midfielder this summer.
Guardiola is said to have been impressed by Gibbs-White’s performances at the City Ground and he would represent a different style to the outgoing Kevin De Bruyne.
However, Brown also told Football Insider that Forest are determined to keep Gibbs-White and will hold crunch talks over the offer of a new contract in the off-season.
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