Manchester City reportedly have no plans to exercise their buyback option for Nottingham Forest star James McAtee.

The Man City academy product completed a move to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2025 after finding first-team opportunities hard to come by at the Etihad Stadium

McAtee has since gone on to feature in 34 competitive matches for the Tricky Trees, including 22 top-flight appearances.

The 24-year-old has certainly benefitted from Oliver Glasner's arrival in the summer, having started each of the club's first eight Premier League games of the season.

Man City not planning McAtee return

According to Football Insider, there has been a suggestion that Man City could look to re-sign McAtee after being impressed by his performances at the City Ground this term.

The Citizens have a buyback option that was included in the deal that saw McAtee join Forest in a £30m transfer two years ago. 

However, the report claims that the Citizens have no plans to exercise their buyback option in the near future.

Enzo Maresca feels he is already well stocked in the engine room after a busy summer transfer window that included the arrival of Anderson from Forest. 

Why Man City's stance makes complete sense

In addition to Anderson, the Citizens recruited Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Chelsea and Lille respectively. 

Mateo Kovacic is also an option available to Maresca, although the Croatian is out of contract at the end of the season.

But even if the 32-year-old departs, there is no real reason why Man City would pursue a deal for McAtee, who would likely have to settle for a squad role.

Man City would be better off looking elsewhere for a midfielder who would be content adding depth to the squad, while McAtee is best served by playing regular football under a coach who trusts him at Forest.