Man City Risk Another Cole Palmer Disaster as They Set Bargain Price Tag for Rising Star James McAtee

Manchester City are said to be willing to sell academy graduate James McAtee for significantly less than the fee they received for Cole Palmer in 2023.

Chelsea paid a total of £42.5 million ($57.8 million) for Palmer's services. When the transfer occurred, Palmer had accumulated just 41 senior appearances throughout his career—exclusively with City.

The move represented a considerable risk for Chelsea considering Palmer's limited experience, yet the investment proved to be exceptionally rewarding for the London club.

McAtee has featured in 34 matches for City, with 27 of those coming during the previous campaign. However, the 22-year-old from Salford also gained valuable experience through 75 appearances for Sheffield United, including 30 in England's top flight.

With McAtee's deal expiring next summer, Fabrizio Romano suggests that a bid between £20 million ($27.2 million) and £25 million ($34 million) might be sufficient to secure his signature.

Multiple clubs from the Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga are reportedly "expressing interest" in McAtee, who captained England's victorious Under-21 squad at this summer's European Championship.

Romano particularly highlights Atalanta as being "well informed" about the player's availability.

Bayer Leverkusen had been monitoring McAtee for several months, but reports from Germany in June suggested—coinciding with Xabi Alonso's move to Real Madrid—that the reigning Bundesliga champions' interest had diminished.

Additional connections exist with Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart, while Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Leeds United are among the potential Premier League suitors mentioned by various media sources.

McAtee's great-uncle was the legendary Alan Ball, who holds the distinction of being the youngest player in England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad. Beyond his international achievements, Ball was renowned for his playing career with Blackpool, Everton and Arsenal, and also served as Manchester City's manager during the 1995–96 campaign, which concluded with the club's relegation from the Premier League.