“Unseen Twist Emerges: £25m Man City Talent’s Exit Gains Momentum After Bournemouth Revelation

Manchester City may be riding high on transfer success, but behind the scenes, exits are being quietly prepared and one young star appears to be edging closer to the door.

As the 2025 summer transfer window gains momentum, the focus at the Etihad Stadium remains on reshaping Pep Guardiola’s squad. The Spaniard had requested four to five new additions even before the window officially opened, and so far, the club has delivered. But with arrivals secured, attention now shifts to outgoings, with several players facing uncertain futures.

One of those players is James McAtee, a highly-rated 21-year-old midfielder City value at £25 million. Despite his promise and pedigree from the club’s esteemed youth setup, signs are increasingly pointing to an imminent departure.

McAtee is notably absent from City’s squad at the FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament Guardiola is determined to win as a final jewel in his City crown. Instead, the youngster is captaining England’s Under-21 side at the European Championships an admirable commitment to country, but also a clear indicator that he is not currently in Guardiola’s immediate plans.

What’s changed in recent days, however, is the transfer landscape, thanks to news emerging from Bournemouth. The south coast club has reportedly made it clear that Justin Kluivert, one of their standout players, will not be sold this summer. That development could have a domino effect particularly in Germany, where Bayer Leverkusen had earmarked Kluivert as a potential replacement for their own outgoing star, Florian Wirtz.

Now, with Kluivert unavailable, Leverkusen may pivot back to McAtee, who has long been on the radar of their new head coach, Erik ten Hag. The former Manchester United manager is known to be a strong admirer of the Manchester City academy graduate and reportedly remains interested despite conflicting reports last week suggesting the Bundesliga club had cooled their pursuit.

According to journalist Alex Crook, speaking to talkSPORT, McAtee is also stalling on a new contract offer from City adding fuel to the speculation. “James McAtee, I’m told, is stalling on the offer of a new contract at Manchester City,” Crook said. “It is Pep Guardiola’s policy that if a player doesn’t want to be here if he wants to move he will not stand in their way.”

That philosophy has precedent. Guardiola has allowed players to walk away in the past, including high-profile figures like Kyle Walker, who was recently permitted to leave on loan for Milan after expressing a desire for change.

McAtee may now be in a similar position. Despite being seen as a potential long-term asset, his playing time at City has been sporadic. After loan spells and limited starts in a stacked midfield, the England youth international may feel the time has come to forge his own path.

Bayer Leverkusen, now an established force in the Bundesliga and known for nurturing young talent, could offer McAtee the regular minutes and platform to flourish. With Kluivert now off the table, the German side may accelerate talks with City in the coming days.For City, the decision may already be made. McAtee’s absence from the Club World Cup squad, combined with his contract situation and external interest, suggests his departure could be one of the earliest major exits of the summer.As Guardiola sharpens his squad for the upcoming season and a tilt at international glory, McAtee’s City journey appears to be nearing its conclusion—and it may all hinge on Bournemouth’s firm stance over a player who isn’t even wearing sky blue.