Notts County individual's importance clear with or without Macauley Langstaff: View | OneFootball

In recent Notts County history, no overseas transfer has quite endeared themselves to the Magpies faithful as much as Alassana Jatta.

The Gambian striker joined from Viborg in the January window and was considered among the marquee signings of the season with the club already completing some excellent business in the summer, with the likes of Jodi Jones, David McGoldrick and Dan Crowley all agreeing deals at Meadow Lane and being signed on a free.

Signed for an undisclosed fee, Jatta was the only player Notts paid a fee for in their first season back in League Two, and he has already proved his worth and influence in the team within two months of arriving in England.

After completing his move to the Magpies, Jatta had to bide his time for a first start as he got up to speed at his new club, missing fixtures against Mansfield Town, Gillingham, Newport County, and Wrexham.

But since his first appearance against Crewe Alexandra, the Gambian showcased his talents that brought him to the club and how he will prove to be a nightmare for defenders in the fourth tier with his size and aerial threat.

A run of eight consecutive games in the side aided Notts' recent upturn in form, with his presence at the top end of the pitch offering something different in the forward areas and allowing the pressure to alleviate off the shoulders of top scorer Macaulay Langstaff.

However, Jatta was left out of the side that lost to Stockport on Tuesday evening due to illness, meaning a rare start for David McGoldrick having just returned from injury.

And his presence against a physical Dave Challinor side was missed, with Notts often second to long balls into the forward areas, something in which Jatta thrives on when occupying defenders and making a real nuisance of himself up front.

It seemed a game tailormade for his attacking style of play, and his absence, along with many different factors, was part of the reason the Magpies were unable to stop the Hatters from clinching the League Two title with two games of the season remaining.

Alassana Jatta's Notts County statistics

Since arriving at Meadow Lane, Jatta has showcased his goalscoring ability in abundance, with each strike different from his previous and highlighting his quality as a number nine.

His maiden goal for the Magpies came in his first start against Accrington Stanley, while also providing an assist for Jim O'Brien inside the opening five minutes.

The striker's rich vein of form continued away to Bradford City, scoring twice at Valley Parade to earn Stuart Maynard his first win since taking over in January.

Perhaps his best goal in the black and white strip would come in Notts' enthralling draw with MK Dons at Meadow Lane, rising highest to power the ball home with his head to send the Meadow Lane crowd into ecstasy as they searched for a first home win of 2024.

Albeit playing fewer games, Jatta has the best minutes per goal ratio when looking at the Magpies' abundance of striking options, with his statistics quite impressive since signing on the dotted line two months ago.

He has proved he can be an asset to the side, with supporters excited as to what his first full season with the club will hold.

And Jatta may have to become the central striking figure under Maynard next season, with interest expected to gather around their top scorer heading into the summer.

Alassana Jatta has proved his importance amid Macaulay Langstaff transfer uncertainty

Jatta has formed an excellent understanding with Langstaff since his arrival, with the pair being deployed as a front two under Maynard having previously played with a single striker for much of the season.

But despite signing a new contract during the summer until 2027, Langstaff's goalscoring exploits have seen interest gather for the Magpies' number nine.

In January, it was reported that a number of clubs were interested in signing the Stockton-born striker, with Sunderland, Birmingham City, Peterborough United, Derby County and Wrexham all linked with a move for the 27-year-old.

Langstaff scored his 27th goal of the season in their defeat to Stockport in midweek, leaving him ahead of Paul Mullin in the race for the Golden Boot, while also being named in the EFL League Two Team of the Season last weekend.

Given what he has achieved this season, the club will be braced for offers to take one of their star players away from Meadow Lane. However, there will be optimism that Jatta can fill the gap potentially left by Langstaff should he choose to leave.

His understanding of his teammates will improve in that time and with a full pre-season awaiting and allowing the Gambian to continue to settle into life in England, it can only be seen as a positive given his start in a Notts shirt, with his importance to the side signified in such a short amount of time.

Jatta has proved his goalscoring prowess since arriving at the club, and while the potential revenue made from Langstaff's potential move will be reinvested back into the squad, the Magpies have a ready-made replacement within their ranks to aid a possible promotion push next term.