Neil Dewsnip, director of football at Plymouth Argyle, says he expects Morgan Whittaker to be viewed as a summer prospect and that negotiations will begin if the proper offer is made.
Although Whittaker was called up by Swansea City midway through the 2022–2023 season, he was instrumental in Plymouth Argyle’s promotion to the Championship.
The forward’s contribution to the Swans’ promotion and restricted playing time made it possible for him to return permanently to Home Park last summer. Now that he has returned, he has flourished with the Pilgrims, adjusting to the step up with ease when given the playing time that his skills demand.
Whittaker helped Argyle stay in the second division by scoring 20 goals and dishing out nine assists in 50 games in all competitions.
In January, there were supporters of the former Derby County young player, but Plymouth Argyle managed to repel them. Now that summer is almost here, he might expect to attract greater attention.
Director of football and most recent interim manager Neil Dewsnip told Plymouth Live that interest in Whittaker is expected. If a bid is received that meets their high expectations, talks will take place.
Will he pique anyone’s interest? There definitely will be, according to Dewsnip.
Excellent players are hard to come by in the Championship. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, even in the Premier League. I’ve got no idea if there is anything on the table at this moment in time.
Is interest certain?
Whittaker is the kind of player who always attracts attention—as any championship-caliber player would.
It’s no small accomplishment for a team fighting relegation to make such a great comeback, and his skills will be appreciated. It’s unclear if any of the winter fans will come back, but Plymouth Argyle might have to make a choice this summer because Whittaker will undoubtedly spark interest.
As Dewsnip has said, Argyle will have to discuss and weigh up the best move should a suitable bid come in for Whittaker. There’s no hiding his importance to the side but if a big offer comes in, the funds could open the door to a wider makeover of the squad and reinvestment in wider areas across the club.
The chance to earn a significant profit on a player signed only last summer could be too hard to turn down, regardless of how essential he is to the squad.
A big error from Swansea City?
Given the likelihood of significant interest in Whittaker, one must question Swansea City’s thinking in this situation.
To put it mildly, they handled the forward in an unusual way. Before his loan recall in January 2023, Whittaker had been a star at Plymouth Argyle. However, instead of making a big impression or being a fixture in the first team, he was given few chances before being sold in the next transfer window.
Whittaker has since shown that he is a great prospect and a star player in the Championship. Given that Swansea paid about £1 million for him just a year ago, Plymouth should earn handsomely from his sale.
For the Swans, the sale hasn’t held up well, but for Plymouth Argyle, it’s been the complete opposite.
