Transfers: £3.5m ex-Sunderland, Fulham and Stoke man Josh Maja becomes free agent after rejecting contract

Former Sunderland, Fulham and Stoke City striker Josh Maja has become a free agent after rejecting a contract offer from Bordeaux, according to reports.

It was recently confirmed that the club would remain in Ligue 2 in somewhat controversial circumstances with Maja's contract having now expired, according to French publication L’Équipe, amid transfer interest from Scottish club Rangers.

L’Équipe states that Maja didn't respond to Bordeaux’s contract extension offer with the deadline having now passed.

The club are said to have offered Maja a one-year deal with an automatic renewal if promotion was achieved but has now turned its attention toward finding another striker.

Maja netted 16 goals in the French second division during the 2022-23 season taking his career tally to 52 in 178 senior appearances across all competitions.

Bordeaux owner Gerard Lopez recently admitted that Maja had transfer "opportunities elsewhere" during the summer window.

Speaking to the media in France, Lopez said: "We had discussions with Josh Maja, he was important for the season and we like him a lot. He has opportunities elsewhere, it's not over for us but it's more complicated."

Maja, who left Sunderland for a reported £3.5million transfer package, has spent time on loan at Fulham in the Premier League and Stoke City in the Championship in recent years and saw a move to Birmingham City collapse a couple of windows ago.

The London-born Nigeria international netted 17 goals in 49 appearances whilst with Sunderland before scoring three in 15 during six months on loan with Fulham during the 2020-21 season as The Cottagers were relegated from the Premier League. Maja scored two in 17 for Stoke City during 2021-22.