West Ham United Transfer Blow: James McAtee's Stance on Nottingham Forest Switch
West Ham United are on the hunt for a creative midfielder to replace Mateus Fernandes this summer, but may face a stumbling block in the pursuit of one of their targets. The Hammers kick off their first Championship campaign since the 2011/12 term in a little over a month, and Nuno Espirito Santo is hoping to have an elite squad ready to kickstart their promotion push come the curtain-raiser at Burnley.
What happened?
Following their £85 million sale of Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham need a new starting midfielder, and Nuno set his sights on Nottingham Forest's James McAtee, with reports stating that talks had been opened last week. McAtee endured a difficult debut campaign at the City Ground last season. Hammers boss Nuno brought him to the club, but the 23-year-old has played under three different head coaches since.
Why it matters for West Ham United
The former Manchester City academy product started just two league games last season and was left on the bench 21 times, leading some to believe that he wanted a fresh challenge and an important role in a first team next year. However, Football Insider has revealed that isn't the case, though, as Pete O'Rourke stated that McAtee has no immediate plans to leave Nottingham Forest, and that he's willing to fight for his place at the City Ground next season.
What comes next?
After a tumultuous campaign in the dugout, Forest will hope that they have a manager set for the long term in Oliver Glasner, and the 23-year-old is ready to prove himself under the new boss. The report outlines that the Austrian was interested in McAtee while he was the Crystal Palace manager, and now has an opportunity to work with him at his new club. The 23-year-old is, understandably, behind star man Morgan Gibbs-White in the pecking order, though, and after an 18-goal campaign in all competitions, it'll be hard to dislodge him from the starting lineup.
West Ham United's current standing
As of now, West Ham United are 18th in the Premier League, with 39 points from 38 games, and are 46 points behind leaders Arsenal. They have scored 46 goals this season, while conceding 65, resulting in a -19 goal difference. The Hammers will be looking to improve their form and climb the table in the coming weeks.
The article's source is Football Insider, and the information provided is accurate as of 14 July 2026. West Ham United fans will be disappointed to hear that James McAtee seems set on staying at Nottingham Forest, but the Hammers will continue to pursue other transfer targets to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season.
