Premier League club holds “constructive” talks with Manchester City over midfield signing

Newly-promoted Premier League side Sheffield United have held “constructive” transfer talks with Manchester City in recent weeks, according to a new report.

Last season’s Championship runners-up are now bracing for life back in the Premier League, and are hoping to turn to some of their heroes from the 2022/23 campaign to represent the club in the English top-flight next season.

That hope has turned them towards Manchester City, with loanees Tommy Doyle and James McAtee playing a part in the success seen across all competitions, including their run to an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium.

With City continuing to seek clarity on the future of both youngsters, and Pep Guardiola hoping to retain the services of one of the Academy graduates, a new report has detailed Sheffield United’s latest attempts to lure both players back to Yorkshire.

According to the Sheffield Star, The Blades’ manager Paul Heckingbottom has spoken with Manchester City sporting director directly Txiki Begiristain about the possibility of re-signing both James McAtee and Tommy Doyle.

The report, from journalist James Shield, explains that it is in fact the latter who is viewed as the more realistic of the two players to bring back to Bramall Lane, given that City boss Pep Guardiola is minded to keep McAtee the Etihad Stadium next season.

Tommy Doyle is expected to be allowed to leave Manchester City again, according to the report, either permanently or on loan. Talks with Sheffield United have been described as “constructive” by one ‘well-placed source’, although it is clarified that there is still ‘plenty of work to be done’.

Doyle recently sat down for an interview on his future with Manchester City, explaining that he felt he needed to prove himself in the Premier League for at least a season, before even believing he was good enough to fight for a place in Guardiola’s first-team squad.

Doyle told the Mirror, “I am not in a rush to move anywhere and leave (Manchester) City. The next step for me is to play Premier League football. Once I have done that for a year I’ll see where I am at. I need to have conversations with City to see what they want from me. Nothing has happened yet.”

The 21-year-old is certainly appreciative of his time at Sheffield United last season, as he continued, “I learned a lot at Sheffield. It was a different style of play. Games where it suited me and we had to play, and games when it got more physical and you had to put your helmet on and get stuck in, which I don’t mind either.

“Getting promoted was special, with a great group of lads.”

Tommy Doyle is currently away on international duty with England’s under-21 side at the under-21 European Championships, representing his country alongside fellow Manchester City youngsters James Trafford, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and Cole Palmer.