Notts County’s season came to a disappointing end after they were knocked out of the League Two play-offs by the eventual winners, AFC Wimbledon.
The Magpies went down with a whimper in the second leg of their semi-final, capping off what has been a frustrating season for the world’s oldest Football League club.
The door had seemingly been left ajar for them to secure automatic promotion in the latter stages of the season, but a run of just one win in their final six games put paid to those hopes.
Stuart Maynard has paid the price for the way his side’s season faded out by losing his job, meaning Notts are preparing for a summer of upheaval ahead of what will likely be another promotion push next term.
As well as being in the hunt for a new manager, several areas of the squad are in need of an upgrade, meaning it could prove to be a busy summer at Meadow Lane.
One of those is the midfield, where George Abbott’s return to Tottenham is set to leave a significant hole in the spine of the team. However, the Magpies may not have to look too far to find their replacement.
Notts should target Derby’s Tyrese Fornah
Abbott is going to be an extremely difficult man to replace, given the strength of his performances over the course of the campaign.
The Tottenham loanee arrived as a relative unknown back in August, but left Meadow Lane upon the conclusion of his loan spell as a player who is undoubtedly ready to step up into League One, if not the Championship.
The 19-year-old won the EFL’s Goal of the Season award for his stunning volley against Accrington and was also nominated for the fourth tier’s Young Player of the Season award.
It will likely prove almost impossible to find somebody in the lower reaches of the EFL who can provide as much ability as Abbott, but they could find a potential solution just down the A52.
Tyrese Fornah impressed during a loan spell with Salford City this season and has just been released by his parent club, Derby.
The former Nottingham Forest man was part of a powerful and imposing Salford midfield alongside Ossama Ashley, and while Ashley has been tied down to a new contract by the Greater Manchester outfit, Fornah’s services are available for free this summer.
Tyrese Fornah Plymouth
The 25-year-old has ample experience of the lower leagues, having also enjoyed League One loan spells with Plymouth Argyle and Shrewsbury Town, plus a stint in the Championship with Reading during his time at Forest.
He possesses the type of energy and dynamism that Notts desperately need to add to their midfield, especially with Abbott departing.
Tyrese Fornah League Two stats 24/25 (as per Fotmob)
Apps
40
Goals
1
Assists
4
Pass accuracy %
78.3%
Successful dribbles
66
Duels won
189
Interceptions
218
Fornah is rangy, covers ground well and is a capable ball-winner – he is everything that the Magpies lack in their midfield at present. When you throw in the fact that he is in search of a new club this summer, it seems like a no-brainer to make him an offer.
Fornah could be the ideal partner for Matty Palmer
With Abbott no longer an option for Notts, one of the main priorities for their summer window is surely to find somebody to play alongside Matty Palmer.
The club captain has struggled by his lofty standards this season, having suffered a serious injury last time out. However, he remains a classy operator at League Two level, and the focus should be on finding a player who better complements his game, rather than on trying to replace him as well.
Scott Robertson could be that man, having impressed in the second half of the 2023/24 after his January 2024 move from Fleetwood Town. However, with Robertson working his way back to full fitness following a lengthy injury lay-off of his own, there are concerns over whether he will return as the same player he was.
With that in mind, Fornah could be an ideal candidate for Notts. He is capable of bringing that bite and intensity that they lacked on so many occasions this season, and, although his range of passing is nothing incredible, that wouldn’t be an issue if he was playing alongside Palmer.
The midfield proved to be a problem area for the Magpies as the season wore on, with the signings of Hinchy, Curtis Edwards and Conor Grant not really having the desired impact.
It’s an area of the squad that could desperately use a revamp heading into the summer window, and tabling an offer to Fornah should be one of Notts’ main priorities.
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