Manchester United could attempt a stunning raid on Manchester City this summer with Ruben Amorim reportedly hoping to steal a massive talent from his major rivals.
United have already begun their plans for the summer transfer window with a €75 million agreement thought to be close for Matheus Cunha, while a move for Liam Delap is likely to be pursued at the end of the season.
McAtee has impressed for City in his limited appearances this season and the 22-year-old is in search of regular game time as he enters the final year of his contract at the club.
However, United will face competition from Milan, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, who could target McAtee if City make a move for Morgan Gibbs-White as a replacement for the outgoing Kevin de Bruyne.
Bayer Leverkusen, too, could be in the race after seeing a loan move for McAtee with a €30m option rejected in January, with City potentially leveraging their interest in any move for Florian Wirtz this summer.
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City unlikely to sanction McAtee sale to Man Utd
City rate McAtee highly, having seen the 22-year-old make his first Premier League starts of the season in the last two games but they are aware that they may not be able to keep their academy graduate satisfied this summer.
However, the likelihood of City allowing McAtee to join a bitter rival in United is slim, particularly after seeing the success of Cole Palmer following his move to Chelsea in 2023.
United are in the market for a more creative midfielder this summer but they, too, will be aware that any interest in McAtee is perhaps optimistic given the City connections.
Instead, the focus will be on securing deals for Cunha and a striker before then focusing on outgoings in order to fund more transfers in order to revolutionise Amorim’s squad.
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