Plymouth Argyle squad guide for start of pre-season under Wayne Rooney

Nathanael Ogbeta remains Plymouth Argyle's only summer signing so far ahead of the start of pre-season training on Wednesday after his arrival from Championship rivals Swansea City.

There are bound to be more new arrivals in the coming weeks, leading up to the Championship season-opener away to Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, August 11, as new head coach Wayne Rooney looks to put his own stamp on the squad.

However, Argyle will not be short on numbers for the start of pre-season, far from it. Including teenage professionals Zak Baker, Jack Matthews, Will Jenkins Davies, Caleb Roberts, Josh Bernard and Freddie Issaka, they have 26 players under contract.

Read More: Argyle players putting in extra hours to prepare for pre-season

You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE

They include highly-rated goalkeeper Michael Cooper, who Plymouth Live understands has turned down a new contract and Argyle are now prepared to sell during the summer transfer window, and striker Ben Waine, who is expected to be included in the New Zealand squad for the men's football tournament at the Olympics later this month.

It would be no surprise if Tyreik Wright were to leave Argyle on a permanent move, with 12 months still remaining on his contract, after spending the second half of last season on loan to League Two side Bradford City.

Meanwhile, Saxon Earley missed virtually all of last term due to ankle injuries and the 21-year-old full/wing-back would perhaps benefit from a loan spell elsewhere to gain some regular first team football.

Then there is Morgan Whittaker, Argyle's outstanding 2023/24 Player of the Year who was also named in the Sky Bet Championship Team of the Season after scoring 20 goals in all competitions. What does the future hold for him? Will the Pilgrims receive a bid for him that is too good to turn down?

So there is bound to be plenty of player movement in and out of Home Park before the summer transfer window closes on Friday, August 30. For now, Argyle seem reasonably well covered numbers-wise across most positions, with the exception of attacking midfielders - or 'number 10s' as they are often called these days - and strikers.

Their only 'number 10' options currently are Whittaker, Callum Wright, Tyreik Wright, and potentially Mustapha Bundu, although he can play as an out-and-out forward too.

As for the strikers, the Pilgrims have just Bundu, Ryan Hardie, Waine - who will not be around for most if not all of pre-season - and Issaka, who is not 18 until the end of this month. So those are two areas of Rooney's squad that will need particular attention.

ARGYLE SQUAD FOR 2024/25 AS IT STANDS

GOALKEEPERS

Zak Baker, Michael Cooper, Conor Hazard

FULL-BACKS/WING-BACKS

Saxon Earley, Joe Edwards, Bali Mumba, Nathanael Ogbeta, Matty Sorinola

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Brendan Galloway, Lewis Gibson, Julio Pleguezuelo, Dan Scarr, Jack Matthews (*)

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Adam Forshaw, Jordan Houghton, Will Jenkins Davies, Adam Randell, Caleb Roberts, Josh Bernard (*)

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Morgan Whittaker, Callum Wright, Tyreik Wright

STRIKERS

Mustapha Bundu, Ryan Hardie, Freddie Issaka, Ben Waine