Fabrizio Romano names 'most likely destination' for £20m Leeds United 'target'

Leeds United summer target James McAtee looks set to leave Manchester City but a move to Elland Road is almost certainly not going ahead, with five Bundesliga teams reportedly chasing the attacking midfielder.

McAtee was one of several No.10 options being eyed by Leeds over the summer, with Daniel Farke keen to replace the £40million Brighton-bound Georginio Rutter. The 22-year-old opted to stay and fight for minutes at Manchester City but those opportunities have not been forthcoming.

The youngster did score a hat-trick in City’s FA Cup third round thrashing of Salford City on Saturday, but that was his first start since October and four Premier League appearances have totalled just 38 minutes. A move has long been expected to go ahead this month but it will not be to Leeds.

McAtee transfer latest

Recent reports have detailed growing Premier League interest from the likes of Fulham and Brentford, but Fabrizio Romano now claims McAtee’s ‘most likely destination’ is Germany. The transfer journalist names Bayer Leverkusen, Mainz 05, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart as potential suitors, with the decision now up to the player himself.

McAtee is said to favour a move away from City this month as he eyes more regular football, something which all of the above five teams can offer. The Telegraph reported recently that a permanent move for the England Under-21 international is expected to cost around £20million.

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That kind of price-tag, coupled with the level of top-flight interest both in England and across the continent, would make it near impossible for Leeds to successfully reignite interest in McAtee. But the City academy graduate was certainly a player of interest over summer, as CEO Angus Kinnear admitted.

Kinnear on McAtee

“Two of the other players, looking at the level we were looking at, McAtee at Man City, there was talk he might be released all the way through the window and then Pep [Guardiola] decided to keep him,” he told The Square Ball in September. “And then [Fabio] Carvalho, who, again, might have been able to go out on another loan.

“It might have been a Championship loan or a Premier League loan. We thought we were first in the queue if it was going to be in the Premier League and he ended up being sold for £27m to Brentford. To strengthen our team and to make it better, we have to shop at the highest level possible. And there is lots and lots of frustration.”

It remains to be seen if Leeds will go back in for a No.10 this month but club chiefs maintain they expect a quiet window. The returning Brenden Aaronson has frustrated at times but few can argue with a return of seven goals and two assists in 26 Championship games, while Daniel Farke has regularly suggested the likes of Willy Gnonto and Manor Solomon can play centrally - the latter did during Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup win over Harrogate Town.