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Amorim to shock Guardiola by helping Man Utd sign 'next Cole Palmer'?

Originally posted on We All Follow United
By Siddharth Juyal | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 8:30 AM ET

Manchester United are ready to battle Bayer Leverkusen and Nottingham Forest to surprise Manchester City by signing midfielder James McAtee. The Man City academy product has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular under Pep Guardiola despite his talents.

City struggled to achieve Champions League qualification last season, eventually finishing third in the Premier League despite a poor campaign. While Guardiola has lost star Kevin De Bruyne, the Citizens are active in the market instead of trusting in McAtee.

Guardiola shocked the Man City fanbase by excluding McAtee from the club’s Club World Cup squad, fueling more transfer speculations. McAtee has only one year remaining in his current contract, which puts the Citizens at a heavy disadvantage right now.

The 22-year-old could take inspiration from the success of Cole Palmer at Chelsea by leaving Man City and establishing himself. According to Daily Mirror (via Fichajes), United are ready to battle Leverkusen and Forest to sign Man City midfielder McAtee.

The Red Devils have faced a nightmare season, finishing 16^th in the Premier League under the new manager Ruben Amorim. Man United also lost the Europa League final to 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur, highlighting the vulnerabilities they have in various positions.

United are very active in the transfer market but face immense pressure due to the financial problems at the club. At the same time, Man United are finding it hard to find suitors for their numerous surplus players right now.

The Red Devils have to operate shrewdly in the market, combining high-value signings with opportunistic deals to build the squad. The potential to sign McAtee from their rivals is a golden opportunity for United to weaken City and strengthen themselves.

McAtee’s age and quality, along with the ability to play anywhere in midfield, could help him adjust to Amorim’s demands. Whether United makes a move now to test City’s resolve or patiently waits until next summer to sign McAtee for free is something we can only speculate right now.

This article first appeared on We All Follow United and was syndicated with permission.

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