Maynard delighted to keep in-demand Jatta at Notts

Alassana Jatta scored five goals in 10 appearances for Notts County last season after joining from Danish club Viborg

Notts County boss Stuart Maynard has praised striker Alassana Jatta for not being distracted by the transfer interest around him during the winter window.

Maynard confirmed that one bid for their leading scorer had been rejected in early January, while there was "a lot of interest" for the 26-year-old Gambian throughout.

There had been reports that Championship side Plymouth had a £750,000 bid turned down for a player recruited from Danish side Viborg for just over £100,000 a year ago.

"Jatta was fully focused, as you saw in his performances in the January window," Maynard told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"It's very easy when there is speculation to take your eye off the ball a little, but he didn't - he trained like a true professional, like he does every day and gives everything.

Jatta started all of Notts' matches in January and scored twice in six games that month to take his goal tally to 16 across all competitions this season.

He has been instrumental in Notts' surge up the standings and into the League Two automatic promotion spots, having scored six goals and created two others during a run of seven wins in nine matches since mid-December.

"We are delighted to keep him," Maynard said.

"It's really important for the football club, especially for the back-end of the season.

"The way AJ has performed this season has been incredible, and not just with the goal return, but his worth ethic and everything he brings to the team."