Update: Man City may have just been handed great bargaining chip in Morgan Gibbs-White transfer decision News

Manchester City have been linked with moves for Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen and Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest this summer.

Two names have cropped up in the early days of Manchester City’s summer transfer hunt. Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White.

At the same time, stories are starting to appear linking current City players with various moves away. Ederson is linked with a move to Saudi Arabia again, Kevin De Bruyne’s next club is up for debate and there are also reports suggesting James McAtee could depart.

Pep Guardiola says he wants McAtee to stay but accepts the midfielder may want more guarantees of regular football which has only been handed to him towards the end of the season. A fee of £25m accompanies those reports to reflect his clear quality and also the relatively low contract remaining at the Etihad – just one more season.

Leverkusen like McAtee and could renew their interest in the summer regardless of what happens to Wirtz. If they want £100m or more for Wirtz then spending £25m on McAtee could help City and suit all parties.

Now, a new report claims Nottingham Forest are also admirers of McAtee, which could hand City a similar advantage if the Blues move for Gibbs-White. The England international is another who would likely challenge the club-record £100m City spent on Jack Grealish so £25m for McAtee could help Forest replace Gibbs-White’s potential departure at a fraction of the price.

Forest feel like a perfect fit for McAtee, who shone at a similar club in Sheffield United. A tight, passionate stadium, against-the-odds mentality, but potentially Champions League football next season would surely appeal. If Forest knew they were sorting their Gibbs-White replacement straight away, it may persuade them to sell a player they are under no pressure to sell.

So for every McAtee appearance after finally breaking into the City starting XI, he is potentially helping his current club in their search for a Kevin De Bruyne replacement. Even if it could inadvertently move him closer to the exit door in the process.

McAtee will hope to be involved at Wembley this weekend against Forest, where Gibbs-White will be looking to help his side continue their fairytale season. The pair will be fully focussed on the job in hand, but maybe also with a thought towards auditioning for respective summer transfers.

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