Mai Traore: Guinea striker leaves Notts County and becomes a free agent

Guinea striker Mai Traore is without a club after leaving Notts County, bringing his time with the League One side to an end on 1 August 2026.

The 26-year-old centre-forward joined Notts County from Fredrikstad FK in February 2025 for €260,000. He spent part of the 2025-26 season on loan at Sligo Rovers before returning to the English club at the end of June.

Traore’s temporary spell in Ireland followed a season in which he was part of the Notts County squad. His departure from the club was recorded after the conclusion of that loan arrangement, and he now enters the next stage of his career without a club.

The forward made his senior mark in Scandinavian football, featuring for Viking FK and Fredrikstad in Norway after moving from Swedish side Vasalunds IF. He also had loan spells with OH Leuven in Belgium and Troms IL in Norway during his time with Viking.

Traore enjoyed his most productive recorded scoring return in Norway’s fourth-tier Ettan Norra, where he scored 25 goals in 46 appearances. He also registered 10 goals in 61 Eliteserien appearances and scored five times in 10 Superettan matches.

His career includes a Norwegian Cup triumph with Fredrikstad in 2024. Earlier in that campaign, he had been involved in Norwegian football after joining Fredrikstad from Viking in January 2024.

Traore began his senior career with Swedish club Vasalunds IF, having started out at Guinean side Ujana. He is listed at 1.85m tall and favours his left foot.

His departure leaves Notts County without the Guinea forward, who had previously arrived as a permanent signing from Fredrikstad following a €350,000 move between the Norwegian clubs in January 2024 and a subsequent transfer to England the following year.

Traore’s exit from Notts County was completed on 1 August 2026, leaving him available as a player without a club.