Why Strasbourg could be the ideal escape route for James McAtee from Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest’s James McAtee is reportedly on his way out of the Premier League – despite only being signed from Manchester City last summer.

The likes of Porto and Besiktas are reportedly interested in signing him, along with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

While each club has their own merits to a move for McAtee, we’ll be examining whether a move to Strasbourg will be beneficial and help them achieve Conference League glory.

Strasbourg interested in signing James McAtee

McAtee only joined Forest last summer for just over £22million after winning a plethora of silverware at City.

Despite only being 23, the attacking midfielder has lifted two Premier League titles, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Community Shield with City.

However, things haven’t gone to plan this season after featuring in seven Premier League matches in 2025/26, with just the one start in the defeat to Sunderland in September. However, he has still started three of Forest’s Europa League phase encounters this season.

Despite playing 495 minutes this season, McAtee has failed to find the back of the net or even register an assist. Prolific in front of goal across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns, scoring 26 goals and 16 assists; he was the joint top-scorer, alongside Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, with 18 goals in the latter.

His 67 goals, 44 as an attacking midfielder and 37 assists across 210 appearances, across his career certainly make him an attractive on-the-pitch product for Strasbourg.

Strasbourg are still unbeaten in Europe, but have concerns in front of goal

Strasbourg finished top of the 2025/26 Conference League phase standings, automatically qualifying for the round of 16 and will now play one of Jagiellonia Białystok, Fiorentina, Omonia, or Rijeka in the next round of this season’s competition.

Five wins in six matches, plus one draw, certainly make Strasbourg a viable contender to lift their first-ever European trophy. However, there is arguably a concern in front of goal with only one player significantly standing out among the players celebrating after a goal has been scored.

Joaquín Panichelli is Strasbourg’s top scorer in Ligue 1 this season with 10 goals, but the Blue and Whites’ next highest scorer is club captain Emanuel Emegha.

Next in the scoring charts is Martial Godo with three, and then Diego Moreira, Abdoul Ouattara, and Sebastian Nanasi with two apiece.

Good and bad on the European front

Switching attention to the European stage, Godo has three goals and Julio Enciso has two. However, no other Strasbourg player has scored over two goals in this season’s competition.

Strasbourg are currently four points adrift of the final Ligue 1 European qualification position, currently being occupied by Rennes at this point in the 2025/26 season.

O’Neil’s side currently have scored the third joint-lowest amount of goals (28), alongside Monaco, out of the current top 10-placed sides in the league. Secondly, no player apart from Panichelli has registered a double-digit return in goals and assists this season; Emegha is the nearest with six.

That certainly makes additional reinforcements to the forward line at the Stade de la Meinau an avenue for new manager O’Neil in the January transfer window, with potentially the addition of McAtee.