Wayne Rooney’s tenure as Plymouth Argyle boss is fully underway now July has hit, with the Pilgrims put through their paces in a pre-season training camp in Marbella.
This summer, the Greens have already welcomed four players into Home Park. Nathanael Ogbeta joined the team from Swansea City after his contract with the Welsh team expired.
For the forthcoming campaign, the Devon team has also added three players on season-long loans: Ibrahim Cissoko from Toulouse, Darko Gyabi from Leeds United, and frontman Muhammad Tijani from Slavia Prague.
These four players might very well be on the move before August finishes, as Argyle will be eager to unload some players before the summer transfer market closes in preparation for the arrival of reinforcements.
Mike Cooper allegedly rejected a new contract to stay with the team past next summer, therefore it would be shocking if he was still an Argyle player in September.
The 24-year-old was reportedly given a contract that would have made him the highest paid player at the team, but after he turned it down, the Pilgrims will be forced to cash in on one of their star players this summer.
While Aston Villa is said to have had a long-term interest in the shot-stopper, journalist Alan Nixon of The Sun has previously stated that there is broad interest in the player this summer.
With that in mind, Argyle will reluctantly listen to offers for Cooper this summer, as they try to recoup the biggest fee they can for a player who has helped his hometown side in their rise up the leagues in recent seasons.
Argyle’s director of football Neil Dewsnip recently described Saxon Earley as “like a new signing”, with the full-back returning to pre-season training after spending close to a year on the sidelines.
The young defender made the move to Home Park in the January of 2023 from Norwich City, and got off to a promising start, as he scored twice in his nine appearances in the second half of that campaign.
It was a different story last season though, as the former Stevenage loanee featured in just two matches in August, before injuries restricted him from making another appearance for the rest of the year.
He had an unsuccessful loan transfer to Wycombe Wanderers in January, and his year of injury woes continued as he failed to play any minutes for the Chairboys.
Given that Matty Sorinola, Joe Edwards, Nathanael Ogbeta, Bali Mumba, and Nathanael Ogbeta are all capable replacements in the wide positions, the former Norwich player may need to go on another loan trip this summer in order to restore confidence and fitness.
Callum Wright
After seeing his namesake Tyreik make the move to Bradford City earlier this month, the writing surely has to be on the wall for Callum Wright, who has failed to make much of an impact since moving from Blackpool in January 2023.
The 24-year-old started just eight games in the previous Championship campaign and failed to trouble the scorers as he was used sporadically in the final minutes of games when Argyle were chasing a deficit.
After some bright glimpses during the second half of the League One Championship season in 22/23, Wright has failed to cut it in the second tier, which has been much the story of his career, having had a similar scenario while at Bloomfield Road.
With a contract that runs at Home Park until the summer of 2026, Argyle may be looking to offload Wright for good this summer, with the likes of Gyabi and Cissoko likely to be preferred in the attacking areas.
Ben Waine
The signing of Tijani speaks volumes for where Ben Waine sits in the Argyle pecking order this summer, with the New Zealand international failing to cut the mustard during his time in Devon.
With just ten starts during his 18 months at the club, it is clear that the Kiwi is never going to dislodge Ryan Hardie as the club’s first-choice striker and the arrival of the Slavia Prague man will only damage those chances even more.
While he can never be faulted for his work-rate and determination when given the chance to get on the field, Waine lacks that cutting edge in front of goal that is needed in a Championship side, while his buildup play also needs working on.
As he enters the final year of his contract at Home Park, the question has to be asked whether Waine’s time at the club has come to an end, with better alternatives likely to be found during the transfer window if Rooney feels the need for extra firepower.
