Leeds United can land perfect January signing after what Pep Guardiola said about James McAtee
Excitement is building ahead of the January transfer window, and Leeds United are targeting additions to their frontline.
Although Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored six goals in his last five matches, Daniel Farke still wants to make at least one addition to his attack.
As it stands, Leeds have been linked with a move for Tyrique George, while other names such as Santiago Gimenez and Jens Petter Hauge have been touted with a switch to Elland Road.
Leeds have lacked creativity in the final third since winning promotion to the Premier League, and one signing could transform their fortunes.
Pep Guardiola once praised James McAtee’s versatility
In the summer, Leeds eyed a transfer for James McAtee from Manchester City after Pep Guardiola admitted he wasn’t part of his plans long-term.
Nottingham Forest ended up paying £30million for the Englishman, and since then, he’s struggled to live up to that price tag at the City Ground.
The 23-year-old has started just once in the top-flight, with Sean Dyche using him for just 22 minutes in the competition since becoming manager at the end of October.
As a result, Leeds have contacted Forest over a move for McAtee ahead of January, and what Guardiola once said about him proves why he would be the perfect signing.
Speaking in December 2024 after Man City’s 2-0 win over Leicester, the Spaniard pointed out his versatility as a standout attribute, while praising him for every action he did on the pitch.
“He can play in the wing, pockets, striker, three positions up top and what I was pleased with was every action he did was good,” Guardiola said via Man City’s official website.
“He didn’t make one wrong action, in the position we were defensively, he grew up a lot in Sheffield, that period made him so, so mature.
“But he’s a player, in a generation we have at City that have been unbelievable, when you see Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Macca, Liam Delap, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, they’re incredible players come from there and he was part of that generation, he captained them.”
McAtee’s creative numbers will please Daniel Farke
McAtee hasn’t showcased the true breadth of his talents since joining Forest, but a switch to West Yorkshire could unlock them.
In Farke’s current 3-5-2 system, the former England under-21 star could play as a second striker alongside Calvert-Lewin, or as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
| James McAtee’s creative numbers per 90 |
| 39.19 passes attempted |
| 4.08 progressive passes |
| 2.35 progressive carries |
| 3.59 touches (att pen.) |
| 6.8 progressive passes received |
| 2.23 passes into final third |
McAtee’s 6.8 progressive passes received per 90 is a standout figure, suggesting he consistently finds pockets of space beyond opposition midfield lines. This movement makes him a valuable outlet for ball progression and a trait Leeds could harness to transition quickly from defence to attack.
Coupled with 3.59 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, the midfielder’s profile leans towards a player who not only gets into dangerous positions but does so frequently, signalling strong off-ball intelligence.
McAtee is clearly a talented, forward-thinking midfielder; he just needs a manager to get him back to his best, and Farke could achieve that.
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