Sheffield United will ask Man City about midfielder's availability during Tommy Doyle transfer talks

After adding the FA Cup and Champions League trophies to their list of achievements last term, City are expected to begin plotting their defences later this week. Meetings with United, aimed at thrashing out Doyle’s long-term future, are scheduled to take place shortly after Paul Heckingbottom and his coaching staff expressed a desire to bring the 21-year-old back to South Yorkshire following last season’s successful loan.

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McAtee also spent the campaign at Bramall Lane and, like Doyle, excelled after Christmas as United won automatic promotion from the second tier. Ideally, Heckingbottom would like to continue working with both after describing them as “exactly the type of player” he enjoys managing. Although Guardiola has reportedly earmarked McAtee for a role in his first team plans, that will not dissuade negotiators acting on United’s behalf from posing the question when discussions with City resume.

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Heckingbottom privately acknowledges that he has no chance of acquiring McAtee on a permanent basis, due to a combination of sporting and financial reasons.

Although the latter will also complicate any move for Doyle - unless United are taken over or outside investment is sourced, Heckingbottom has only around £20m to spend in the transfer market - the road towards his signature is much smoother. Indeed, The Star has revealed that City expected Heckingbottom to try and purchase him once the window reopened.

PL rules prohibit members from brokering two temporary deals with fellow top-flights outfits, meaning Doyle could rejoin United for another 12 months if McAtee remains elusive.

Having identified a number of alternative options and with John Fleck yet to finalise the contract extension he has been offered, Heckingbottom would like United to take a view on Doyle as quickly as possible. That will enable him to try and jump to the front of the queue for other targets should it be decided he is beyond their reach.

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Heckingbottom views the athleticism Doyle would bring to United’s operations in the centre of the pitch as being crucial to their survival hopes and will attempt to recruit someone of a similar ilk if a deal breaks down. Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien, currently on loan with Major League Soccer franchise DC United, is known to boast admirers at United together with Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka. Agents acting on Heckingbottom’s behalf have also made contact with Norwich City about a player within David Wagner’s squad.

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Crucially, Doyle has spoken of his willingness to rejoin United after stressing he wants to compete regularly for a first team place at this stage of his career. Doyle was also effusive in his praise for Heckingbottom, assistant manager Stuart McCall and head of player development Jack Lester before heading back to the North-West; crediting them with transforming his game.

Doyle made 38 outings for United and scored four goals, including one in the FA Cup quarter-final victory over Blackburn Rovers which set up their semi-final meeting with eventual winners City in the last four.

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