It was on the back of that success, in the summer of 2025, that classy midfielder McAtee completed a £30 million ($40m) transfer to the City Ground. Forest were considered to have pulled off quite the coup at that stage.
The Salford native had made 34 competitive appearances for City, scoring seven goals - including an FA Cup hat-trick against Gary Neville and Sir David Beckham-owned Ammies from down the road. He was considered to be in need of a regular role in order for full potential to be unlocked.
Forest, when battling to beat the drop in 2025-26, were unable to provide those opportunities as Morgan Gibbs-White dominated their No.10 berth . McAtee was a bit-part figure as a result , with his solitary effort for the season being recorded in Europa League competition.
Another change in the dugout has, however, played into the 23-year-old's hands - along with a big-money sale. With Anderson taking his career in the opposite direction to McAtee, as he headed for Manchester in a £116m ($153m) deal , incoming Forest boss Oliver Glasner needed somebody to control possession in the middle of the park.
Could rejuvenated McAtee earn a senior England call-up?
McAtee has embraced that challenge, in a 3-4-2-1 system, and has won back-to-back Player of the Month awards on Trentside. Can he now build on those foundations, add even greater consistency and end product to his game, while forcing his way into contention for a first England call-up?
When those questions were put to Walker, the former Forest and Three Lions defender - who was speaking exclusively to GOALcourtesy of Live Football Tickets - said: "Of course he can. The England squad is never a closed shop. Now he's getting his chance in the Forest team, he has to perform consistently.
"If you're playing in central midfield and you've got players like Gibbs-White and McAtee, that's the heartbeat of your team. Somewhere along the line Forest have to start nudging themselves up the league because, if you're finishing 16th or 17th, you're out of the limelight.
"But if they're good players and they're playing well, their team should start moving up the league. Forest have enough good players to be in a better position than they've been."
McAtee faced plenty of questions after moving to Forest, and across his debut season with the Reds, but appears to have found a position and manager that suits him perfectly. Glasner, who previously worked with Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace , is delighted to have unearthed another playmaking pivot for his well-oiled engine room.
The Austrian tactician has said of resisting any urge to draft in a like-for-like replacement after bidding farewell to Anderson: "This is why we didn't have immediate signings.
"We changed the system and maybe it was a little bit easier for James to play in this role than to play as a '6' when you play with a back four. This gives him a little bit more freedom and it looks like it suits him very well.
"We decided it's not target No. 1 to replace Elliot because maybe we can do it from our own squad and spend the money on other positions."
McAtee thriving in Glasner's system at Nottingham Forest
Forest are in the process of ironing out a few creases in Glasner's tactical approach, with specialist performers required in order to make a system that favours three at the back work. McAtee has, however, been a welcome success story.
The Reds are hoping that there will be more to come , having stumbled out of the blocks slightly in 2026-27, with a return to Premier League action set to be made on Sunday when taking in what promises to be a lively trip to Selhurst Park.
