Arnaud Kalimuendo has left Nottingham Forest to join Eintracht Frankfurt on loan for the rest of the 2025/26 season, with the Bundesliga club also holding an option to buy. The French forward could feature immediately, with Frankfurt set to face Borussia Dortmund on Friday as the German league restarts after its winter break.
The move goes through despite Forest currently being short of forwards. Chris Wood is sidelined with a long-term injury, and Forest are only three points clear of the Premier League relegation places. Forest are therefore expected to stay active in the January window as the club reshapes its attacking options.
Kalimuendo joined Forest from Rennes during the summer transfer window but has struggled for regular minutes. The
23-year-old has played just 89 minutes of Premier League football this season, spread across several substitute appearances. Opportunities have been restricted under the current coaching staff, prompting Forest to accept Frankfurt’s loan proposal despite ongoing selection issues in attack.
The agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt allows the German club to make the transfer permanent when the season finishes. That clause gives Forest flexibility on future planning, depending on Kalimuendo’s form in the Bundesliga and any bids they may receive. The structure of the deal reflects Forest’s need to balance short-term squad depth with longer-term financial and tactical planning.
| Player | Current club | From club | Deal type | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnaud Kalimuendo | Eintracht Frankfurt | Nottingham Forest | Loan with option to buy | 2025/26 |
Forest’s decision comes during a key week in the Premier League. On Tuesday, Forest recorded a 2-1 home victory over West Ham, described as potentially crucial in their fight to stay up. However, the win also underlined their lack of depth up front, especially with Wood unavailable for several months.
The club are already exploring replacements while Kalimuendo settles in Frankfurt. Forest have been strongly linked with Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen, who may be allowed to leave Molineux in January. Reports in England suggest Wolves are open to a sale after Strand Larsen recently dropped out of the starting lineup in favour of Tolu Arokodare.
Strand Larsen has still shown impact from the bench for Rob Edwards’ side. The Norway international came on as a substitute against Everton on Wednesday and supplied the assist for Mateus Mane’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Forest view that kind of presence as useful competition in attack if a deal can be agreed before the window closes.
Nottingham Forest can confirm Arnaud Kalimuendo has joined Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt. The forward joins Frankfurt on loan for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, with the German side also holding the option to make the deal permanent at the end of the campaign. pic.twitter.com/FgH3KIoXvLNottingham Forest (@NFFC) January 7, 2026
As Kalimuendo prepares for a possible Frankfurt debut against Dortmund, Forest’s focus turns towards securing another striker and managing the run of fixtures that will shape their survival bid. The success of Kalimuendo’s loan and any incoming deal for Strand Larsen are likely to influence Forest’s long-term attacking plans beyond this season.
