This summer promises to be a big one for Plymouth Argyle, with a squad very much still in transition following their promotion to the Championship in the previous campaign.
With their second tier status still in the balance, it could be an off-season full of rebuilding for life back in the third tier once their star players have more than likely departed, or succession planning for another stab at the second division.
The Pilgrims’ dependency on the loan market has come back to bite them big time in the current campaign, with three star performers in Finn Azaz, Luke Cundle and Kaine Kesler-Hayden all recalled by their parent clubs in January and leaving Argyle frantically trying to plug the gaps that were left through their squad.
The Devon team has struggled in the second part of the season, and they will be seeking to make the proper hiring decisions in the summer. To make matters worse, they have added new manager Ian Foster to the mix following Steven Schumacher’s move to Stoke City.
You don’t have to be a green advocate to understand that the arrival of highly regarded custodian Mike Cooper and the long-term commitment of Morgan Whittaker to the team would make for a dream summer transfer window. However, there are still plenty of other transactions that would be fantastic to witness at Home Park this summer.
Femi Azeez
Argyle made fruitless attempts to acquire Femi Azeez from Reading during the January transfer window; nevertheless, the forward remained at Madejski Stadium after failing to reach an agreement with the Royals.
The 22-year-old has contributed numerous game-winning plays throughout the campaign, which has helped the Berkshire club rise to this position in the standings despite several point deductions.
The best player at the club will be sought after by several teams this summer due to the ongoing ownership crisis at Reading, so the Greens will need to move quickly to secure his services.
If Whittaker departs the team, Fulham and Brentford will follow.
The Pilgrims are in need of an attacking playmaker to assist Whittaker and company in the final third as their attacking contribution has decreased since the January departures. Azeez might be the key to unlocking the team’s potential and getting things back in motion.
Marc Leonard
In March, Fabrizio Romano tweeted that several teams, including Argyle, were keeping an eye on Marc Leonard, a player on loan from Northampton Town.
This season, the midfielder is on loan at the Cobblers from Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. By March of his first season in the third division, he had contributed double digits to goals.
The 22-year-old was a constant for Jon Brady’s team throughout their League Two promotion-winning campaign the previous season, and as he keeps developing at a rapid pace, he has adapted to life at a division higher level with ease.
As he continues to leave his mark in the EFL and develops into the kind of significant playmaker in the Championship, a loan into that league is plausible for the next season.
Since Azaz and Cundle were removed from the Greens’ starting lineup due to their inventiveness and vision, the team’s ability to combine midfield and attack has become less fluid, which has significantly reduced attacking production.
Leonard might be invaluable in that capacity, and if Brighton stays in the second division, Argyle might be able to take advantage of their apparent desire to see Leonard continue his growth in the lower leagues.
John McAtee
This one will depend on a myriad of circumstances, but this might be a terrific summer transfer for all parties involved if Argyle keeps their Championship status and Luton Town stays in the Premier League.
McAtee, who is presently enjoying a loan stint in League One with Barnsley, has contributed to several of the Tykes’ goals this season. By early March, he had hit double figures in goal contributions.
The forward, who is in his early twenties, made two successful stints at Grimsby Town. He scored 14 goals in the Mariners’ National League campaign to assist them return to the football league, and he played well again the previous season.
A team can only rely on players like Whittaker or Ryan Hardie to create something out of nothing so many times. The Pilgrims have been forced to bear the consequences of their lack of top-tier players due to Mustapha Bundu’s injury-plagued limited playing time.
Whether McAtee joins on a permanent or loan basis, it would be a great commercial decision to add another goal threat to the squad for the upcoming campaign. McAtee will give endless energy and a clinical edge at the business end of the ball.
Nathanael Ogbeta
Argyle could enter the same market to acquire Nathanael Ogbeta from Swansea City, as they have previously been successful in developing players from that team (see Morgan Whittaker).
The full back, who joined from Shrewsbury Town in January 2022, has struggled to find playing time in Wales. He is presently on loan at League One team Bolton Wanderers.
The defender, who scored on his Trotters debut, has been a consistent member of Ian Evatt’s team as they fight their way to the top of the third division ever since.
Ogbeta, a graduate of the Manchester City youth programme, offers Argyle the energy on the wings that they may want in the summer.
Argyle could enter the same market to acquire Nathanael Ogbeta from Swansea City, as they have previously been successful in developing players from that team (see Morgan Whittaker).
The full back, who joined from Shrewsbury Town in January 2022, has struggled to find playing time in Wales. He is presently on loan at League One team Bolton Wanderers.
The defender, who scored on his Trotters debut, has been a consistent member of Ian Evatt’s team as they fight their way to the top of the third division ever since.
Ogbeta, a graduate of the Manchester City youth programme, offers Argyle the energy on the wings that they may want in the summer.
Ben Waine
Although Ben Waine, a New Zealand international, hasn’t reached his full potential since joining the team in January, Argyle supporters will still wish him well if he decides to depart in the summer.
Since Ian Foster took over at Home Park, all the Kiwi has been offered are a few cameo appearances; the 22-year-old’s future is most certainly elsewhere.
That’s not to suggest he can’t make a difference at a lower tier team in the EFL, but his salary could be better used to fund more dependable offensive options for Argyle in whichever division they end up in next year.
Callum Wright
Similar to Waine, Wright has struggled to get playing time since Argyle returned to the Championship, and it appears that he may be let go during a summer clearout in Devon.
Wright was a key member of the League One championship team after joining towards the end of the season. His injury-time winner against Shrewsbury Town in the final will always live on in Pilgrims’ memories, but his recent play has fallen short of expectations.
Even though his contract is set to expire in the summer of 2026, the Greens may choose to cut their losses and let their forward to go in the summer so that everyone can start over.
Tyreik Wright
Tyreik, the namesake of Wright, experienced a similar lack of success throughout his Pilgrim years.
Wright went from Aston Villa to Home Park in January of last year after making an impression for Bradford City at the beginning of the previous season, albeit he didn’t really contribute while wearing green.
His services are no longer needed at Home Park, as seen by his loan back to the Bantams in January. A relocation this summer—possibly to Valley Parade—seems imminent.
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