James McATEE has rejected the chance to play for Manchester City at the World Championship of Club to represent England at the European U-21 championships in Slovakia.
The 22-year-old received City's choice and believes that he will have a larger playing time with the Lee Carsley team.
City has lost Kevin De Bruyne and omitted Jack Grealish, but has still been agreed for a deal for Tijjani Reijnders of AC Milan and hope to add France International Rayan Cherki on Tuesday.
With the competition for City First Team Places in the US, McATEEE wants the Platform to play full games for England U-9s where he is a key figure in the plans of Carsley.
McATEE's decision indicates that his future is not from the city this summer and he has no shortage of admirers.
Bundesliga teams who wanted to sign him in January will remain in the frame.
Bayer Leverkusen, who wants a replacement for Liverpool-bound Florian Wirtz, Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, Red Bull Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, who sign Sunderland's Jower Bellingham, all have expressed different degrees of interest.
AC Milan, after sold Reijnders, admired McATEE in England, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Wolves, Everton, Leeds United, Manchester United, Fulham and Spurs to stay up to date with developments.
Mcatee returned to Etihad last summer after a clear loan spell in Sheffield United the previous season.
The creative midfielder was part of Pep Guardiola's team for the 2024–25 campaign and eventually got 27 performances in five competitions, so eight starts and seven goals scored.
England U21S, who will be Liam Delap without Chelsea's Liam Delap, will open their tournament against the Czech Republic next Thursday 12 June.
They are then confronted with Slovenia and old enemies Germany.