Sheffield United meet Man City's top transfer chief as they look to get deals done
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The Star understands that the Basque, who oversees the treble-winners’ dealings in the transfer market, held discussions with representatives acting on Paul Heckingbottom’s behalf earlier this week with the midfielders featuring at the top of the agenda.
Heckingbottom, the United manager, has admitted he wants to work with the duo again next season after watching them help his squad win automatic promotion from the Championship last term. Although Heckingbottom’s interest in bringing Doyle and McAtee back to Bramall Lane is a matter of record, news that Begiristain is now involved in the negotiations confirms talks have reached an advanced stage.
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Hide AdIn order for United to fulfil Heckingbottom’s wish, Premier League rules dictate that at least one of the pair must be signed on a permanent basis. With City preparing to unveil Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic and also entering the race for West Ham’s Declan Rice, Doyle is the most obvious candidate to be sold.
MORE: Doyle speaks out
The youngster currently representing England at the under-21 European finals, has stated that he wants to continue playing regularly at senior level after making nearly 40 appearances under Heckingbottom. Despite being a City supporter and stating that he remains focused on earning a place in Pep Guardiola’s plans, the Catalan’s manoeuvres in the transfer market suggest that is unlikely to happen.
According to reports, Guardiola is ready to offer McAtee a chance to impress given that he performs a more attacking role than Doyle and therefore would not be affected by the arrival of Kovacic and possibly Rice. Again, though, the fact that Begiristain was prepared to listen to United suggests City could be persuaded to let him depart again, providing a suitable proposal is tabled.
MORE: United reject huge offer
Given the resources which have been placed at Heckingbottom’s disposal, finalising an agreement for Doyle is by no means a formality. His wages at City far exceed what he could expect to earn in South Yorkshire, while McAtee was known to be among United’s highest earners.
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Hide AdBegiristain, who will ask for a ‘buy back’ clause to be inserted into any permanent deal for Doyle, could consider sending him back to United on a temporary basis if McAtee remains in the North-West. However, the facility fee required to process such a switch would almost certainly be higher than the one Heckingbottom’s employers paid to capture him last summer.
United are also said to be monitoring Anis Ben Slimane, with members of the Brondby midfielder’s inner circle suggesting he features on the wanted list Heckingbottom presented to owner Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during a recent strategy meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
Doyle played 38 times for United, scoring four goals in the process, as they not only secured their return to the PL but also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Like McAtee, who netted nine, he was forced to miss the game against City at Wembley because of the competition’s regulations.