Manchester City are expected to be busy in January, after a poor start to the 2024/25 season.
Manchester City are currently on a seven-game winless run, having lost their last match against Liverpool in the Premier League.
Winning the title is now going to be very difficult, with Liverpool 11 points clear of City and nine clear of Arsenal and Chelsea.
There is a feeling for City fans that this squad is in need of a rebuild, with experienced players no longer showing the same consistency as in previous years.
Despite players like Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva struggling, and Kevin De Bruyne lacking fitness, Pep Guardiola has been reluctant to use James McAtee this season.
And West Ham United and Crystal Palace are now both looking to sign him.
West Ham and Crystal Palace ‘desperate’ to seal James McAtee transfer
It’s been reported by Give Me Sport that James McAtee is a player who’s firmly on the radars of West Ham and Crystal Palace.
West Ham have been reported to see McAtee as a potential replacement for Lucas Paqueta.
Guardiola has handed McAtee just one minute in the Premier League this season, and seven appearances in total.
West Ham and Palace are said to be the most serious suitors for McAtee at the moment, with both ‘desperate’ to hold talks about a potential transfer in January.
It’s stated Manchester City have already been fielding enquiries about his availability in January.
The two interested Premier League clubs are likely to face competition from clubs overseas. Indeed, McAtee was recently reported to have interest from at least 11 clubs in total, with several from abroad.
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Man City must add clauses to any McAtee deal
It’ll be very intriguing to see what happens with McAtee in January.
He’s barely featured so far this season and it’s been strange to see, considering how many poor performances the likes of Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have dropped.
Some fans wish that the Manchester City manager would play him more.
| James McAtee for Man City in 2024/25 |
| Appearances – 7 |
| Minutes played – 332 |
| Goals – 1 |
| Assists – 0 |
But he’s way down the pecking order right now, and a January exit may not be out of the question.
If that is to happen, then it’s important that City negotiate clauses with whichever club takes him. City need to either insert a buy-back clause, or a sell-on. Negotiating both would be absolutely ideal.
Ultimately, Guardiola has previously described McAtee as ‘special’, and so City can’t just let him leave for a fee and that be it.
