It’s been a slow close season, let’s be honest. There’s been Rooney’s appointment, Ogbeta’s arrival, and Galloway’s renewal, plus some other minor announcements.
Fortunately, nearly two months since Joe Edwards’ winner kept us in the Championship, things are about to speed up. Tomorrow we’ll get the Championship fixtures, the day after our League Cup first round opponent. By the end of next week, it’s likely we’ll see the home kit.
On the transfer front - the bit we’re most excited about - this is also the week that the summer window speeds up. Historically, the last week of June, just prior to the beginning of pre-season, is when wheels start to turn.
It should be a busy window at Home Park, even though the club will have one of the league’s smallest budgets once again. Oxford will most certainly have the smallest, but the only other clubs who might fall behind the Pilgrims are financially sensible Portsmouth, financially recovering Derby County, and financially troubled Blackburn Rovers.
That is, unless new investors arrive over the summer, as has been hinted at by Chairman Simon Hallett.
To survive in the Championship long-term, let alone start thinking about a top-half finish, serious improvements need to be made to the squad. Last season’s side significantly lacked depth, even if the first choice lineup was strong (until January, at least).
There’s also the new profile of players that will be required to give Wayne Rooney’s tactical plans the best chances of success. His approach is very similar to Schumacher’s at the start of last season, but the mid-season strategy change saw different types of signings prioritised in January.
Nick Saunders Smith
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Jun 12
Finally, Argyle’s long-term strategy to sustainably level the financial playing field is to make profits from player trading, like Brighton, Peterborough, and Brentford. That kind of approach requires frequent signings of quality, young, attacking players with the potential to generate significant profits.
The aim will be to sign at least one Morgan Whittaker per-season (e.g. a cheap player to hopefully be sold for a lot, lot more).
Existing players: Mike Cooper; Conor Hazard
Contract ending 2025: Mike Cooper
Potential departures: Mike Cooper
Likely signings: 1-2
Rooney’s tactics demand modern ‘keepers who sweep behind a reasonably high backline and are comfortable with the ball at their feet. John Ruddy was a major failure at his Birmingham side; how he must wish he had Michael Cooper, whose current trajectory seems set to see him eventually play in the Premier League.
Cooper is everything that Rooney wants in a ‘keeper and everything Argyle need to support their transfer strategy. Unfortunately, with just a year left on his contract, it seems likely that Cooper could depart this summer.
A few months back, I expected the story of the summer would revolve around Whittaker. Instead, we’ve heard that Cooper is gone for around £8m (to Celtic?) and has bought a house there, that he’s signing a new contract, that he’s going to become our highest-salaried player of all time, and that renewing his contract is Rooney’s biggest priority.
Where this saga ends? Honestly, who knows. I could see it going either way. Fans might not like it - and get used to reading this - but our strategy requires selling players at the right moments and reinvesting. This summer could be that moment for multiple players, especially Cooper as he enters the last year of his contract off the back off another promising season climbing the EFL.
Nick Saunders Smith
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May 21
If Cooper goes, the club will have a wedge of money to replace him and a range of options in the lower leagues and Premier League youth teams to pick from. Sam Tickle would be a statement signing in that case, given the clubs interested. Normally, you’d not expect us to compete with the sorts of sides attempting to sign him, but the money could be there if we sell Cooper.
You would expect that the club would move to sign a replacement for Cooper if he departed since Conor Hazard is still developing the skills that Rooney is looking for. His distribution still needs a lot of work, he looks too sheepish sweeping behind his defence and attacking crosses, and he’s too quiet. He made progress in those areas last season, but there’s still a clear gulf between him and Cooper.
Regardless of what happens with Cooper, expect a new third-choice keeper to arrive after Callum Burton left with all our thanks and best wishes for the future, presumably a rookie.
Existing players: Joe Edwards; Saxon Earley; Matthew Sorinola; Nathanael Ogbeta
Contract ending 2025: Joe Edwards; Saxon Earley; potentially Matthew Sorinola
Potential departures: Saxon Earley
Likely signings: 1
Without forgetting that the first duties of a full back are to defend their goal, Rooney will demand his full-backs push high and wide as part of his 2-3-5 formation. Occasionally they’ll be asked to invert into midfield, but operating as an orthodox winger is more likely.
Ogbeta is an example of this. Per-90, he was one of the most productive wing-backs in League One last season in an attacking sense. 2 goals and 4 assists in 15 games for Bolton this season off the back of 1 goal and 3 assists in 20 games for Peterborough last. Aged just 23, if he clicks the club will make a tidy profit on this free transfer.
On the right, Matthew Sorinola joined in January as a wing-back so he should suit Rooney’s idea of a full-back. Sorinola’s first six months weren’t that successful, but he was unfortunate to be caught up in the mess that was the second half of last season. He only started six games yet recorded a goal and an assist. In particular, he demonstrated good crossing ability.
