By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
Is West Ham‘s interest in James McAtee actually genuine?
The honest answer, cynical old me included, is that none of us really know.
That said, the noises coming out of Nottingham are encouraging, with reports suggesting Forest would be willing sellers this summer.
Before anyone starts printing shirts, though… this feels like a moment for everyone a few involved in the proposed transfer to take something of a reality check.
The Player Has To Face Facts
Let’s start with McAtee himself.
He turns 24 this year, which means the comforting “one for the future” label no longer applies… he is the present now, and the present isn’t looking quite as glamorous as Manchester City once promised.
Forest paid Manchester City £30 million for him last summer and handed him a contract until 2030.
In return, they got 14 Premier League appearances and just two starts as Forest stumbled to 16th.
In other words, the midfielder doesn’t really play football.
His career has stalled, and he has played nowhere near the number of games a talent of his supposed ability should have at his age. At some point, that stops being bad luck and starts being a problem.
McAtee might not fancy the idea of dropping into the Championship. Then again, if he genuinely wants to play every single week, he might have to.
Nuno Espírito Santo might have had a hand in signing McAtee at Forest in the first place, so he knows exactly what he’s getting. And with Nuno and Nils Koppen having recently sat down to thrash out the club’s recruitment plan, a familiar face is exactly the sort of low-risk punt that could work.
Forest Need The Same Reality Check
But this ‘get real’ moment cuts both ways.
Forest, understandably, would love to recoup the full £30 million they spent, and word is they feel they have no reason to sell at a discounted fee.
Many of our own supporters, meanwhile, reckon £15 million is closer to the mark given how little he’s played.
The truth is probably somewhere in that gap, but it’s drifting an Forest must know it.
They probably paid the going rate 12 months ago. Fair enough.
Yet a player who barely features doesn’t hold his value, and pretending otherwise won’t magically summon a bidding war that isn’t coming.
A sensible, realistic price would cut their losses, get a stalling career moving again and suit everyone in the room. It would also be exactly the kind of value the transfer market is dictating right now, whether Forest like it or not.
From where I’m sitting, though, it’s simple enough. Get real on both sides, get the lads career back on track… and there’s a deal to be done.
100% not good enough….have watched him on numerous occasions and he has been lightweight and very little end product. You should never judge a player by what he does at under 21 level as its completely false. He looked great in man city’s team when they were 3 nil up but this is not a realistic way of assessing a player as I could have looked good playing with those world class players
£15m and up to £20m with add ons (including an agreed number of games played)
Once I thought he was a good player but he is only a championship player ten milllion max and even then I think that is over the top
Why would they take a lower fee? we did not told everyone what the price was pay it or no deal so we cannot argue if others do the same.
Totally agree
Everyone gets carried away by ex Man City and Liverpool younger players .
He simply hasn’t developed as his early career would have hoped and needs game time
15 million is spot on
That kid from Troyes Adeline looks just as good maybe better, he is not homegrown but he looks quality, if Forest won’t play ball we should push hard for him. If we were interested in MacAtee something solid would have appeared in the press, as mentioned before am sure Glaser is looking at what he has at Forest, Gibbs-White could go seeing as Anderson has in which case MacAtee might find himself first choice.
The fact we seem completely inactive in the market, despite having sold Fernandes for £85m and with Summerville likely to go for £40m plus might also be an indicator that optimism around cash flow isn’t what it should be and maybe the club figure they will keep most of team in tact with just one or two in. We also now that Disasi has gone might be back to Mav and Todibo as first choice centre backs, JWP,AWB, Alvarez are all on hefty packages as is Areola, so clearing the decks wage wise has to be another significant priority and the club is very quiet in general on comms which does make you think is there more going on that we don’t know about with Bowen for example ?
Swap him for Kilman. Job done.
They’ll take a lower fee than they paid but they’ll want a hefty sell on fee just in case it turns out they made a mistake