Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City’s James McAtee.
This is according to the Daily Mail who are reporting the 22-year-old is their number one target should they agree to sell Florian Wirtz.
Leverkusen wanted to sign McAtee in the winter transfer window. They made a formal approach for the young midfielder but City didn’t want to lose the player in the middle of the season.
However, the German giants haven’t given up on signing the highly-rated player and will likely pursue a deal in the summer.
According to Sports View, the Citizens are huge admirers of Florian Wirtz, who has also sparked interest from several other top clubs. It is said Leverkusen will push for McAtee in any talks with Pep Guardiola’s side for Wirtz.
The Premier League giants see Wirtz as a player who could fit seamlessly in their style and Xabi Alonso’s side will reportedly consider asking for McAtee as part of any negotiations.
The England Under-21 international is one of the top talents to emerge in Europe. He has proven his abilities at Sheffield United and City.
However, he is struggling for game time under Guardiola. The midfielder is yet to make a start in the English top-flight, although he has been featured on nine occasions off the bench.
McAtee is said to be well-regarded by Guardiola, but he has made no secret of his desire to play regular football. The 22-year-old has only over a year left on his current contract at the Etihad Stadium.
Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title last season, but their levels have dropped in 2024-25 as they currently find themselves eight points behind Bayern Munich in second place.
The defending champions held Bayern to a 2-2 draw at the BayArena earlier this month before cruising to a 2-0 victory over Holstein Kiel at the weeknd.
They will meet Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday ahead of a blockbuster Champions League fixture with Bayern on March 5.
Stats from Transfermarkt
