Paterson: Notts County priced out of Langstaff return this summer

Notts County manager Martin Paterson has confirmed his club were priced out of bringing striker Macaulay Langstaff back to Meadow Lane this summer. The Magpies lost the 29-year-old to Salford City last week after the League Two side agreed an undisclosed fee, just days after Notts sold last season’s 14-goal forward Matthew Dennis to Burton Albion.

Langstaff’s exit from Notts in 2024 capped a two-season stay in which he scored 71 goals in 96 appearances, including 42 during the National League title-winning campaign of 2022-23. His move to Salford returns him to League Two, the division where he was twice the top scorer, though his two seasons in the Championship with Millwall yielded only five goals in 76 games.

Speaking after Notts’ first pre-season fixture at non-league Alfreton Town on Saturday, Paterson acknowledged Langstaff had been a target to replace Dennis. “I can assure you that yes, we would have been interested in him,” he said. “But it's quite clear why we can't get players like that at the minute – it's just the market.”

The Magpies have already completed four summer signings—James Gibbons, Callum Roberts, Max Sanders and Darius Lipsiuc—since securing promotion to League One. Paterson, who operates under a technical board led by club owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz, reiterated that his remit is solely team selection and on-pitch leadership. “The way it works, I don't do the recruitment. I coach the team and pick the 11 players and the subs,” he said.

Transfer policy at Notts is set by director of football Richard Montague and the Danish owners, with Paterson stressing the need for squad reinforcement. “We do need numbers in and we do need players that can improve this group,” he added.

Salford’s capture of Langstaff, a player part-owned by David Beckham, places him back in League Two, the level where he excelled for Notts. The Magpies, meanwhile, have replaced Dennis with four new arrivals as they build for League One.

Paterson’s remarks highlight the financial realities facing Notts County despite their promotion. Recruitment now falls under the oversight of the technical board, with every incoming deal subject to their approval.

The contrasting fortunes of the two clubs were underlined by the timing: Salford’s deal for Langstaff followed within days of Notts completing Dennis’s sale to Burton, illustrating the gap between League One and League Two in English football’s financial hierarchy.