Bradford City should be eyeing Notts County, Alassana Jatta raid in January on one condition | OneFootball

Early signs suggest Bradford are more than ready to compete at the top end of League One

Bradford City should have their eyes firmly on Notts County striker Alassana Jatta ahead of the January transfer window - but only on one condition.

There's no denying that the Gambian striker is one of the most prolific forwards in the EFL, with his 19 goals in 40 League Two appearances last season placing him third out of everyone in the division.

Only Bromley's Michael Cheek outscored him in the fourth tier for the 2024/25 campaign, finding the back of the net 25 times in his first ever EFL season.

In terms of goal involvements (goals and assists), Doncaster Rovers' Luke Molyneux was in second position with 28, whilst Jatta had to settle for third spot with 23 after notching four assists on top of his goals.

Bradford City's promotion credentials make Notts County, Alassana Jatta move viable

The Bantams' promotion to League One on the final day of 2024/25 has created momentum that has carried into their third-tier campaign.

Graham Alexander's side made headlines with their stunning last-gasp win over Fleetwood Town, securing an automatic spot with Antoni Sarcevic's 96th-minute winner.

And the early signs are suggesting that the West Yorkshire outfit are more than ready to compete at the top end of League One for the remainder of the campaign.

Their 2-1 opening day victory over Wycombe Wanderers, who finished the previous season in fifth position, certainly set a precedent that has been followed ever since.

After six games, the Bantams find themselves in third, and unbeaten, with four wins and two draws. Newly-relegated Cardiff City are the only other side in the division to have not lost a game at this stage as well.

Realistically, it's not to say they won't lose a game, but should Bradford keep this good form up until the new year, tabling an offer for Jatta could prove to be the difference-maker in staying down or going up, and he'd only add to the talented strikers already at the club.

Summer signing Will Swan is tied with six others on three goals at this stage of the season - Stevenage marksman Jamie Reid leads with five. Alexander's ranks are set to be bolstered too by 34-year-old Andy Cook, who scored a brace on his return to action on Tuesday in the Vertu Trophy after eight months out with a knee injury.

Alassana Jatta would be worth the large fee for Bradford City

Yes, the financial commitment required to secure Jatta's services would be big, but his output last season does justify any potential investment.

According to The Guardian, Plymouth Argyle had a £750,000 bid rejected - while the Pilgrims were still in the Championship - as Notts were apparently holding out for £1 million.

This fee could have been inflated given it was mid-season at the time, but Jatta ended 2024/25 scoring an average of 0.51 goals per 90 minutes. In even simpler terms, he was averaging a goal every two games.

At 26 years of age, Jatta has proven his ability to perform under pressure in England. His contributions during the Magpies' promotion push included six goals and two assists in a seven-win run from nine matches.

For a club of Bradford's size and potential, the idea of being close to promotion could justify a potential seven-figure sum being handed to Notts for Jatta.

It would be somewhat unfair to judge signing Jatta off the start of this season though. The Gambian was sent off in the first leg of the playoff semi-final against Wimbledon, so the ban carried over into the current campaign.

After missing the first four games of the season through suspension, the Gambian was out for County's match against Bromley due to a back injury. His only appearance this season has been a 30-minute cameo off the bench against Tranmere Rovers, and he's obviously still building match sharpness.

Time will tell as to whether Bradford can maintain their early promise, but if they do, Alassana Jatta should be on Graham Alexander's radar in January to help the West Yorkshire club potentially get over the line.