Notts County might be ready to cash in on Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers interest this summer | OneFootball

Notts received interest in Alassana Jatta in January, with the striker entering the final year of his deal this summer, they may be tempted to sell.

Notts County may face a difficult decision regarding the future of their striker Alassana Jatta this summer.

The Magpies survived interest from several sides further up the pyramid during the January transfer window and ultimately managed to retain the services of the Gambian, despite facing a genuine scare.

Championship sides Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth were reportedly interested in Jatta, as well as Bolton Wanderers of League One. According to The Guardian, the Pilgrims even had a bid of £750,000 knocked back by Notts.

The 26-year-old has been in impressive form for Stuart Maynard’s side so far this term and already has 14 goals and four assists in League Two so far in 2024/25.

Jatta has just one year left on his deal in the summer

Despite the interest in Jatta during the winter window, the hierarchy at Meadow Lane clearly felt the frontman was too valuable to the club at present to be able to sell.

A bid of seven-figures would surely have tested that resolve, but thankfully for Maynard and his coaching staff, that bid never came.

The fact that Jatta is still a Notts player by the end of the window is a huge boost for their promotion push. Maynard’s men have notched eight wins and a draw from their last 10 games in the league, with their only defeat in that time coming at the hands of table-topping Walsall.

With the Saddlers struggling badly for form in recent weeks, their lead has now been significantly reduced, and Notts are currently their nearest challengers, just seven points behind. Their recent slide has created a sense among the chasing pack that all three of the division’s automatic promotion spots are very much up for grabs.

While retaining Jatta could prove to be vital for the club’s fortunes this season, interest in their talisman is unlikely to go away any time soon.

By the time we reach the summer, his contract will be into its final year, which will surely result in even more teams sniffing around the striker.

That could ramp up the pressure on Notts as they look to keep hold of one of their prized assets, especially if they are to miss out on promotion to League One this season.

If Maynard can lift Notts into League One for next season, they could crucially have a little more of a say in where Jatta’s future lies.

With 14 league goals already, he is well on track to finish the season with over 20 goals to his name, a traditional benchmark of a successful season for a striker.

If the world’s oldest football league club were to become a third tier side again next season, it certainly isn’t beyond possibility that the Gambian may be tempted to sign a new deal and extend his stay in Nottingham.

The club have done a fantastic job in recent years of demonstrating their desire to improve year upon year and ultimately become a club who can compete at respectable levels of the Football League.

This level of ambition could potentially convince Jatta that he may be able to continue reaching new heights in English football with Notts.

However, if a new deal becomes a step too far, the club can at least cling to the fact that Jatta’s value is unlikely to decrease too much, even as he enters the final year of his deal.

If he ends the season with over 20 goals to his name, Notts would surely be able to fetch the £1million they have demanded. In a worst-case scenario, they would likely still be able to pull the £750,000 that Plymouth tabled.

And, when you consider the fact that the Magpies could be in a higher league in the summer, it’s perfectly plausible that Jatta’s value could increase further.

Ultimately, receiving interest in your players from other clubs is an extremely common occurrence for a team that is performing well and is arguably a sign that the club is going about their business in the right way.

Notts have shown in the past with the likes of Ruben Rodrigues and Kyle Wootton that they are not afraid to lose a key man for free, if it benefits a promotion push. However, you would imagine that is unlikely to be the case where Jatta is concerned.

Logic would suggest that if Notts remain a League Two side next season, it could spell the end of Jatta’s time at the club. However, get promoted and there may be potential for a new contract and, the Magpies could also have a massive amount of money thrown in front of their noses.