With Notts County firmly in the race for the automatic promotion and play-off spots in League Two, next season feels a long way away, even though there are just eight league games remaining in this campaign.
However, at clubs up and down the country, work will already be well underway for next term, with many clubs likely having started planning their summer transfer window from the second the January one came to a close.
For the Magpies, it could be a pivotal window no matter which league they find themselves in come the summer. Over the course of the last year, they have lost several key players and have also been badly hit by injuries. As a result, it will be interesting to see whether the club’s hierarchy take a different approach to building depth in the squad this time around.
With that in mind, here is what a dream summer transfer window for Notts could potentially look like.
In – Ossama Ashley
With George Abbott highly likely to move on to bigger and better things next season, the midfield will be a crucial area for Notts in the summer transfer window.
Although the situation is not desperate enough to suggest a major rebuild is required in that area of the pitch, they will certainly need to inject their midfield with some youthful energy.
Abbott has caught the eye with his energy and all-action displays this term, and there has been a noticeable drop-off in the Magpies’ intensity levels when he’s been absent. Therefore it will be crucial they replace him with a player of similar characteristics.
Ossama Ashley could be the perfect man for the job. The 25-year-old has been hugely impressive in the middle of the park for Karl Robinson’s Salford City so far this season.
Ashley has produced a series of commanding displays alongside Tyrese Fornah, not least against Notts in the Ammies’ 3-0 win back in December. The former Colchester man could provide the sort of power that Notts’ midfield has been crying out for at times this season.
Ashley’s contract is due to expire in the summer, meaning there will surely be plenty of competition for his signature. But with a big signing likely needed to fill Abbott’s boots, Ashley could prove to be a sensible option.
In – Kian Spence
Having seen Notts come up against him several times over the course of their spell in the National League, Spence is a name who will be familiar to plenty of people at Meadow Lane.
The midfielder shone for Halifax Town over several seasons in the fifth tier and, since Barrow handed him the chance to step-up to EFL level for the first time two seasons ago, he has gone from strength to strength.
Arguably one of the division’s most underrated players, Spence enjoyed a stunning campaign last time out, notching nine league goals and six assists from midfield, and whilst his numbers are likely not going to reach that high this time around, he’s still one of the top engine room operators in the division.
| Kian Spence’s 2023/24 League Two Stats (as per Fotmob) | |
|---|---|
| Apps | 45 |
| Goals | 9 |
| Assists | 6 |
| Chances created | 34 |
| Duels won | 190 |
An athletic midfielder with bags of quality to boast, he is surely ready for the next step of his development, at a club competing at the top of League Two, if not one that plays its football in the division above.
At 24 and with his contract expiring in the summer, now could be the perfect time for Notts to pounce on a player they have known about for quite some time.
The Magpies have looked brighter since David McGoldrick’s return from injury, they will now hope to put pressure on the current top three.
Stays – Alassana Jatta
While not strictly a new addition, if Notts can keep hold of Jatta, it could be the most important piece of business they complete all summer.
The frontman was subject to interest from the likes of Plymouth, Portsmouth and Bolton in January, but ultimately remained at Meadow Lane, with the Magpies reportedly having rejected a bid of £750,000 from the Pilgrims.
They were holding out for an offer of £1million, and it would be no surprise to see them set a similar asking price this time around, or potentially even higher if they end up back in League One ahead of next season.
The Gambian’s situation will have to be managed carefully, given that his contract is currently due to expire at the end of next term. But, it goes without saying that for now, Stuart Maynard and the recruitment team must do everything they can to keep him at the club.
In the space of just months in the English game, Jatta has already become very close to the complete package for a striker in the lower leagues. He is crucial to the way Notts play and would surely be a key performer regardless of which division they end up in.
Out – Robbie Cundy
Having signed a one-year deal last summer, it would be a huge surprise to almost everyone at Meadow Lane if Cundy is still at the club ahead of next season.
After a few injury-hit seasons, the centre half dropped back into League Two for the first time since 2020/21 in order to come to Nottingham, but unfortunately, the move simply hasn’t worked out.
He has played just a handful of minutes in the league and has never really looked reliable enough to warrant a more settled place in the matchday squad.
He has been out on loan at National League outfit Solihull Moors since the start of March, and it would be a huge shock if he hasn’t already played his final game in a black and white shirt.
Out – Junior Morias
Although he is now back at Notts following two National League loan spells already this season, Morias’ Magpies career has never really taken off.
He was bizarrely handed a three-year deal by the club when he joined back in March 2023 and has since spent a fair chunk of time away from Meadow Lane on loan.
Spells with Dagenham and Woking this term have highlighted once again that Morias is a capable striker at fifth tier level. However, over the last 18 months, when he has played for Notts, he has struggled badly at Football League level.
The frontman will still have a year left on his contract by the time the summer comes around, but it is expected that the club will either look to move him on permanently or, failing that, loan him out once again until his contract expires.
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