Nottingham Forest are acting fast with the transfer window already having opened following the exit of two of the club's largest players, hardly a couple of days apart. Antony Elanga goes to Newcastle, while Morgan Gibbs-White has apparently been scouted by Tottenham, as a Sky Sports revelation reveals. As such, the Forest already has a target set in their sights with which to replace him. Manchester City midfielder James McAtee, 22, tops their current target short-list. An initial offer of about £25m appears to be the planned move of the club, the offer with the inclusion of extra clauses depending on performances.
Attention and complications in the market
We lose two major players the same transfer window, which does not help. Elanga seems to complete a transfer to Newcastle, a transfer which apparently costs them about £55m. The Swedish forward had an explosive season last season, which by itself automatically commands the attention of the bigger Premier League clubs.
It's a stickier case with Gibbs-White. Spurs have activated a £60m release clause of his, and the transfer now appears set to finally materialize, all going well after a medical. Anxiety, though, still emanates as to how it all happened. Sky Sports states the club says it never agreed to communication directly between the Tottenham target and Tottenham itself. That the club had thought, perhaps, there had been unilateral communication outside authority, directly, would itself be a Premier League policy infarction as it pertains to contracted players.
James McAtee in the sights of Forest now
James McAtee has been the transfer window's largest target to strengthen the central forest midfield. McAtee played 27 times for the club last season in all matches, netting seven times. He had the first-team football at the top already, as he had been part of a group of players always vying for the biggest accolades.
During summer, he was part of the Under-21 European Championship-announcing England squad, a achievement which could have boosted his standing with the clubs back home. He had been loaned out, a year earlier, to Sheffield United the previous season. While the club bottomed out and got relegated, McAtee hadn't yet see relevant minutes as well as get a chance to practice the game, all the while in a pressure situation.
Manchester City think McAtee has the potential and transfer worth as well. That's why they’ll not sell him at a sale. As per media, the Forest are set to commence the negotiations lower than that appraisal, targeting a middle-of-the-scale settlement through constructive benefits as well as extended contracts.