Nottinghamshire

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Notts County have terminated the contract of forward Mai Traore by mutual consent.

The 26-year-old Guinean, who had recently been on loan with League of Ireland Premier Division side Sligo Rovers, failed to score in 13 league appearances for the Magpies after joining from Norwegian side Fredrikstad in February 2025.

Meanwhile, the League One side have said summer signing Max Sanders will miss the first three months of the season with a calf injury.

The 27-year-old midfielder joined on a two-year deal in June after rejecting a new contract with Crewe Alexandra.

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Nottingham Forest wrapped up their 12-day training camp in Portugal with their first defeat of pre-season against Primeira Liga side Sporting.

The Reds fell to a 4-1 loss in their second pre-season fixture of the day, having claimed a 2-1 victory over Portimonense, as they got more minutes in the tank ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Oliver Glasner's side, who were looking to go five games unbeaten in pre-season, took the lead just two minutes in through in-form Igor Jesus, who has now scored in four consecutive appearances.

However, Goncalo Inacio quickly levelled things up with a pinpoint header before Issa Doumbia's 61st-minute strike doubled Sporting's lead.

Then centre-forward Rafael Nel sealed victory for Sporting with a second half brace, firstly looping a header beyond Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels and then grabbing another goal six minutes before full-time.

Nottingham Forest will now return to Nigel Doughty Academy before heading to northern Italy next weekend to take on Udinese and Barcelona.

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"I'm hungrier than ever to get us back into Europe," says Nottingham Forest left-back Neco Williams, who played a pivotal role in the Reds' journey to the Europa League semi-finals last season.

The 25-year-old featured 15 times on the European stage, only being left on the bench for the club's group-stage fixture against Utrecht.

"I'm at a stage in my career now where I want to play in the biggest games," Williams told BBC East Midlands' Charlie Slater. "I want to be playing in Europe and winning stuff. I have to use that as motivation to go and do it.

"Having the taste of them European games with this club makes me hungrier than ever to do it again and get us back into Europe."

On the pre-season training camp in Portugal, Williams added: "This is what pre-season is all about. It is about getting fit and taking away as many new ideas as possible and trying them in training.

"He [Oliver Glasner] has been working us very hard, there has been a lot of running. It has been tough but enjoyable, that's all you can ask for in pre-season. Each day is a new learning day.

"The mentality is around not moaning and just getting on with it. For example; if someone loses the ball or the pitch is too dry, there should be no moaning. That's exactly what we have been doing.

"It has been a bit of a different pre-season for us because we are used to doing double sessions, but he [Glasner] likes to do all his work in the morning.

"So we have been doing a really big and tough session in the morning, with all our gym work that needs to be done, that way it is all boxed off early because he is really big on recovery."

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Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina says he has "dusted off the cobwebs" for wing-back favouring head coach Oliver Glasner and believes that the club can "dream big" again this season.

The 29-year-old right-back is looking forward to "cracking on" with the season after a hamstring tear, sustained in September 2025, hampered his playing time in 2025-26.

"It has been hard work but it has been good," Aina told BBC East Midlands' Charlie Slater when asked about life under Glasner. "Everyone is buying into his ideas and his philosophy. It is really exciting for all of us boys.

"He is a winner. He has shown what he can do over the past few seasons with Crystal Palace, with the right backing and with time, so hopefully he can do that here as well.

"We have to dream big - why can't we? We have everything that a team needs to be successful, so it is down to us to hit the ground running, put the hard work in, stay together and be locked in.

"Why not push for a Champions League finish? It is good to dream."

On Glasner's playing style heavily relying on wing-backs, the full-back replied: "I used to play as a wing-back in Italy, so it has been a few years!

"I told him to give me a few weeks to just dust off the cobwebs and get the engines going again.

"As a full-back, you can pick and choose the right times to go. As a wing-back, you have to go every time because you need to be that support in attack but also get back to help your centre-backs at times. It is a balance.

"I'm wishing for more goals in my game. I hope I get some little tap-ins here and there this season. I don't mind how many - a goal is a goal. I haven't got a celebration picked out just yet, but I'm sure I can think of one."

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Nottingham Forest came out 2-1 winners against Portimonense SAD in Portugal during a behind-closed-doors friendly as their promising start to pre-season continued.

Just before half-time, Taiwo Awoniyi, who was wearing the captain's armband, gave the Reds the lead from the penalty spot.

Joao Reis levelled early in the second half for the second division Portuguese side.

New signing Xaver Schlager restored Forest's advantage with a superb strike from outside the area as Oliver Glasner's team emerged victorious.

Forest will play another match later on Friday (19:00 BST) when they face Sporting CP at Estadio Algarve.

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to BBC East Midlands' Charlie Slater as the Reds wrap up their 12-day training camp in Portugal.

Here are the key lines from their chat:

• Their pre-season camp has been "very positive", with most of the players expected to get 90-minute runouts against either Portimonense or Sporting on Friday.

• Glasner added: "We have trained really hard, the players have shown great work ethic and everybody has enjoyed the sunny weather. I wanted us to work really hard on the pitch but also to enjoy the time together."

• When asked what he enjoys most about training sessions, Glasner replied: "I like being on the pitch with the players, showing them solutions, supporting them and explaining the way we want to play. I know many other things are part of being a manager, but for me this is the best one."

• He has been working "between 12 and 16-hour days" to ensure he makes a "good start" at the City Ground. Right now, his focus is on "finding the right set-up" for his players and his coaching staff.

• On being coined a winning manager after his spells at Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace: "I don't know anybody who prefers losing to winning, but there is a difference between a wish and a goal. Many wish to win and hope it gets fulfilled, but you have to work for it and deserve to win. At the end of a season, you will always get what you deserve. I don't believe in coincidences or luck."

• He revealed: "I've already had an instance where I had to tell the players there was too much moaning and complaining in training sessions. I told them that winners don't moan or complain - they accept the challenge and make the best out of it. If you always feel like a victim, such as saying it's too hot or the pitch is too dry, then you aren't a winner. If you focus on what you have to do on the pitch and accept the circumstances, then you have the best opportunity to be a winner."

• Nottingham Forest don't want to be known as a "one-hit wonder" and cannot afford another "turbulent season", so "getting consistency and building the foundations of success" will be key this season.

• He added: "As a club, we want to establish ourselves in the top half of the Premier League, not just once but consistently. This is the goal of the owner, the players, the entire staff and, I'm sure, the fans."

• The club will only make signings that "make sense and strengthen the squad" this summer, especially considering the "crazy transfer market".

• However, he refused to comment on Nottingham Forest reportedly being close to completing a deal for Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande.

• On whether he feels the need for attacking reinforcements: "Let's see. Dan Ndoye is taking a well-deserved break after the World Cup. Callum Hudson-Odoi is reintegrating after injury. Igor Jesus has scored in every single game so far and Taiwo Awoniyi has already scored as well. Chris Wood has only just got back from his break."

• Lastly, he confirmed that every player will be given a chance to "show that they can help us achieve our goals" before any transfer decisions are made.

Nottingham Forest, Everton and Leeds United are monitoring 23-year-old forward Liam Delap, who Chelsea value at up to £40m. (The i), external

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Charlie Slater
BBC East Midlands reporter

Passion is a good word to describe Oliver Glasner's approach to coaching his new Nottingham Forest side.

His distinctive Austrian accent fills the warm Portuguese air at the club's temporary training ground and his energy appears boundless as they approach the end of a two-week stay on the Algarve.

On the pitch, the players appear keen to match the tempo of their new boss - high press, high energy, high speed. While away from football, a padel racquet is the weapon of choice for winding down in the land of a thousand golf courses.

Glasner's existing squad is almost in place - only Switzerland international Dan Ndoye is still to return - and there is hope and expectation that his ranks could be bolstered by approximately four new signings.

Passion is Glasner's approach and optimism is its outcome.