Various sources are reporting that Nottingham Forest has achieved a total agreement to sign James McAtee. David Ornstein first broke the news, with other journalists subsequently reconfirming that the deal is set to be made official. It was reported at the beginning of the week that Forest were nearing an agreement, and it appears that they may complete the deal ahead of their opening league game on Sunday.
🚨 Nottingham Forest strike total agreement with Manchester City to sign James McAtee. Package for 22yo attacking midfielder worth £30m. Also sell-on + buy-back clauses included inside deal between #NFFC & #MCFC for England U21 international @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/YvllVYmlLY
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 14, 2025
Structure of the deal
Fabrizio Romano reports that the £30m fee is broken down into £22m up front and a further £8m in add-ons. Furthermore, the deal includes both a sell-on and a buy-back clause, meaning that Manchester City are almost sure the benefit from the deal further down the road.
Conclusion
Both clubs will be very happy with the deal; Forest will be happy to get their man, providing crucial reinforcements as the club gears up for a European campaign, and City will be happy to receive a sizeable transfer fee for a player that always felt surplus to requirements, and who was out of contract next summer. The inclusion of a buy-back might indicate the potential for a return to City, if McAtee were to kick on and show a level similar to what other City youngsters have upon leaving the club.
