Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City youngster James McAtee, whose contract with the Premier League side expires in 18 months.
According to the Daily Mail, Steven Gerrard’s side are one of three top-flight sides chasing the 19-year-old creative midfielder. Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City are also keen on McAtee, who has starred for the Manchester side at youth level this season.
The youngster is on 14 goals in Premier League 2 this campaign, the highest in the division, with McAtee’s performances winning him his full City debut earlier in the season, to which Gary Neville was impressed with what he saw.
As per the Daily Mail, the Sky Sports pundit compared McAtee to City legend David Silva, and now, Villa are eying a swoop for the midfielder with contract talks between the teenager and Manchester club stalling.
Villa have been busy this January with the signings of Phillippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne. Juventus star Rodrigo Bentancur is also reportedly close to joining, with Brighton star Yves Bissouma also on Gerrard’s radar.
And now, McAtee is being considered by the Birmingham-based club, who could be another incredible signing for Villa should Gerrard and his transfer board manage to pull off the deal for the City talent.
City talent McAtee could be Villa’s long-term answer to Grealish
A silky attacking midfielder with an eye for goal has made McAtee one of the best youth prospects in England, and for Villa, the Three Lions youth international could be a genuine candidate to replace Jack Grealish in the long term.
Indeed, the midfielder has made a name for himself this campaign as a goalscoring midfielder with a golden touch on the ball. And for Villa, signing McAtee could be the club’s answer to replacing Grealish, who has so far proven to be a hard player to fill in for.
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