Nottingham Forest have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Manchester City starlet James McAtee, amid reports that the teenager could be heading elsewhere this summer.

What's the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the 19-year-old is believed to be in talks regarding a potential loan move to Championship outfit Sheffield United, with the Blades currently the frontrunners ahead of several Premier League clubs.

The likes of Forest, Leeds United and promoted Bournemouth are all named among those who are keen on landing the highly-rated playmaker, while La Liga outfit Villarreal are also said to be admirers of the teenager.

A previous report from the same publication last week revealed that City are willing to sanction a temporary exit for their promising gem, provided that any interested party is able to guarantee regular playing time for the attacking midfielder.

Cooper must act now

It has already been a hectic summer for the Midlands club, with 12 new faces having already come through the door at the City Ground, although the indication is that manager Steve Cooper is plotting more additions to help bolster his squad even further.

With the start of the new Premier League campaign just a few days away, the Reds are potentially still in need of new recruits, having seen a number of last season's loanees return to their parent clubs over the summer, including the likes of Djed Spence, James Garner and Keinan Davis.

While ultimately just temporary, those deals proved integral to securing promotion out of the second tier last term as the trio made 104 appearances between them in the league, with the two-time European champions potentially able to strike gold again with a loan move for young McAtee.

As interest mounts in the England under-21 international, Cooper and co simply must act to make a move for the "stunning" youngster - as described by Jordan Elgott - with the youngster potentially a player who could prove something of a hidden gem this season.

Despite the wealth of talent at Pep Guardiola's disposal at the Etihad Stadium, the Salford-born menace has already made six senior appearances for the English champions, notably making his Champions League debut in the round of 16 second leg clash against Sporting Lisbon in March.

However, more regular involvement elsewhere could prove invaluable to the £3.1k-per-week sensation's development, having already proven that he is far too good to reside largely in youth football, having scored 26 goals and provided 16 assists in just 46 games at Premier League 2 level.

While Forest have already acted to bring in a playmaking creative addition in former Manchester United man Jesse Lingard, a move for McAtee would provide the 29-year-old with quality cover and competition, with depth undoubtedly set to be needed in what will likely be a challenging return to top-flight football for the Reds.

In truth, Cooper must act swiftly to try and seal what would be yet another impressive summer swoop. Otherwise, Forest look set to miss out to Sheffield United.