Softfootball understands that RC Strasbourg are seriously working on a loan move for Nottingham Forest midfielder James McAtee as the January transfer window gets closer. As reported by Fabrizio Romano via his official X account.
He said:
RC Strasbourg are showing interest in James McAtee as potential option for midfield in January. Initial talks took place to present the project.
The young star only arrived at Forest a few months ago. He joined from Manchester City in August 2025 in a deal reported to be around £30 million, which felt like a big statement at the time.
But things haven’t gone as planned. Under Sean Dyche, minutes have been hard to find. McAtee’s most recent appearance for Nottingham Forest came in a 1–0 loss to Fulham, following his involvement in the club’s 2–1 Europa League win against Utrecht.
Strasbourg sees an opportunity there. The Ligue 1 club, who are part of the BlueCo ownership group alongside Chelsea, believe McAtee could be exactly what their midfield needs.
They’re targeting him as a central midfielder who can bring energy and control, and from what’s understood, early talks have already taken place.
Strasbourg have outlined their project to the player and tried to sell him on the idea. Not just vague interest, but actual planning.
There’s been some noise linking McAtee directly to Chelsea, but the preferred option looks different. The idea within BlueCo is to use Strasbourg as a development step.
Interest isn’t limited to France, though. Leeds United, Bournemouth, Fulham and Sunderland are all watching; also, clubs in Germany like Stuttgart, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt are also keeping tabs.
Still, Forest isn’t keen on letting him go just yet. They spent big money not long ago and don’t want to look rushed. Dyche has spoken about patience, about competition, and about how some players take time to settle. But January has a way of speeding these things up, and McAtee’s situation feels like one that could change quickly.
