Josh Maja: Nigeria and England striker joins Le Havre on free transfer

Nigeria and England striker Josh Maja has joined French club Le Havre AC from West Brom on a free transfer.

The 27-year-old centre-forward has signed a contract with Le Havre running until 30 June 2027 and will wear the number nine shirt at the Ligue 1 club.

Maja returns to France after leaving West Brom, where he had spent the previous three seasons. He joined the Championship club from Girondins de Bordeaux on a free transfer on 1 August 2023, having previously played for Bordeaux, Stoke City and Fulham.

His move to Le Havre represents a return to Ligue 1, a competition in which he has made 47 appearances and scored nine goals. He also recorded two assists in those matches. Maja has further experience in Ligue 2, where he scored 16 goals in 38 appearances, while his Championship record stands at 19 goals from 110 games.

Maja began his senior career at Sunderland after progressing through the club’s youth system. He made his first move abroad in January 2019, joining Bordeaux from Sunderland for a fee of €1.5m. He later had loan spells with Fulham and Stoke City before returning to Bordeaux in 2022.

The London-born forward has also played in England’s Premier League, making 15 appearances and scoring three goals. His career record includes spells in League One, the Championship, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, giving him experience across both English and French football.

Le Havre have secured a centre-forward who has played regularly in the two countries’ top divisions and second tiers. Maja is right-footed and has also scored in domestic cup competitions in England and France, including three goals in seven Coupe de France appearances.

His previous club, West Brom, is listed as the latest side in a sequence that began with his development at Fulham’s academy before moves to Manchester City’s youth setup and Sunderland’s youth teams. He now begins the next stage of his career with Le Havre.

Maja’s free transfer to Le Havre was completed on 31 July 2026, with his contract in France set to run until June 2027.