The Athletic reported that Nottingham Forest and Manchester City reached a comprehensive agreement on McCarthy's transfer, with a total transaction price of £30 million.
The deal contains a fixed fee of £30 million, with a second transfer share clause and a buyback clause. On August 11, The Athletic disclosed that Forest was close to signing the 22-year-old Manchester City youth training midfielder. McCarthy's contract with Manchester City expires next summer, which has previously attracted the attention of many English and German clubs, including Frankfurt.
Forest regards him as a versatile player who can be competent for the No. 8 or No. 10, and will effectively fill the midfield vacancy of Danilo Oliveira (joining Botafogo) and Luis O'Brien (transferring Wrexham) after leaving the team. McCarty only started three times in the Premier League last season, but scored 7 goals in 27 appearances in various competitions.
This midfielder who has spent more than ten years at Manchester City has joined the Blue Moon youth training system since he was a teenager. He made his first team debut in the League Cup in September 2021. During the loan period of Sheffield United in 2022-23, he helped the team successfully advance to the Super League, and after returning the following year, he handed over a report card of 5 goals and 4 assists.
After returning to Manchester City in the 2024-25 season, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League stage 4-0 victory over Bratislava. He made 34 appearances for the first team that season and contributed 7 goals. Forest will start the new Premier League season with Brentford at home this Sunday. Nuno's side will qualify for the Europa League this season as the Sports Arbitration Tribunal rejected Crystal Palace's appeal on Monday.