The 24-year-old joined the Hatters in 2022, although he has yet to play a game for the club, with his previous two seasons having been spent out on loan, initially with Grimsby before he was with Barnsley last time out.
Now, a permanent exit could be on the cards, as HITC has revealed that Wrexham, Derby, Blackburn, Millwall, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Bolton are all tracking McAtee.
John McAtee transfer latest
Crucially, the update adds that Luton are ready to cash in on McAtee in the window, with the attacker having only briefly featured for Rob Edwards’ side in pre-season so far.
The recently relegated side have plenty of options in the final third, making it difficult for McAtee to force his way into the XI, so it seems an exit could be the best outcome for all parties.
It’s unclear what fee would be required, but the level of competition for McAtee’s signature should help Luton if they look to drive the price up for the player.
John McAtee needs to be playing regular football
Even though he is still a relatively young player, McAtee has got plenty of experience in his short career so far, and he has always looked to go out on loan to get game time, even if it meant dropping to non-league.
That gives an insight into his attitude, and he will no doubt be pushing to play this season, and he realistically knows that’s not going to happen at Kenilworth Road.
It may also be a factor for the player when he decides his next move, and if he isn’t going to get minutes at a Championship club, then he wouldn’t be afraid to drop down to the third tier.
Whoever does land McAtee will be signing an exciting forward, who proved with Barnsley last season that he has plenty of quality.
| John McAtee’s Barnsley League One Stats 23/24 (Source: Transfermarkt) | ||||
| Appearances | Goals | Assists | ||
| 42 | 12 | 5 | ||
He managed 12 goals on loan at Oakwell, as well as registering five assists, so he coped with the step-up to League One pretty well, and there will be an expectation that there’s more to come.
Those performances last season suggest it would be a real coup for Wrexham or Bolton if they did manage to convince McAtee to return to the third tier once again.
John McAtee has a big decision to make about his future
Ultimately, the player is in a position here where he is going to have a big say on his future, and he will need to make a call as he approaches his peak years in the game.
Of course, any interested clubs need to agree a fee with Luton, but the Hatters’ stance indicates that they are ready to accept an offer, so they’re unlikely to price him out of a move.
We looked at two transfer sagas at Luton Town that could go on until the transfer deadline next month.
As mentioned, it’s a key stage of McAtee’s career, so he is going to weigh up several factors before deciding on his next move.
But, whichever club does bring him in will be getting a player who has a lot of talent, and he has the potential to become even better.
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