With the summer acquisition of in-form center-forward Lorent Tolaj, Plymouth Argyle appears to have struck gold in terms of transfers, according to Sky Sports commentator and EFL specialist Lee Hendrie.
Collectively, the Pilgrims have had a very uneven start to the season;
considering their recent history, they should have been in and among the group of teams vying for promotion out of League One.
Only three seasons ago did the team win the championship at this level, and after two incredibly tumultuous Championship football seasons,
Tom Cleverley was appointed as the newest manager at Home Park after being fired harshly from his previous club, Watford.
During his first transfer window and preseason as manager of the Greens, the former Manchester United midfielder, of course, oversaw a major squad overhaul with a team that had just been relegated.
Up to 15 new players joined the team, while 20 players left between the off-season and the transfer deadline on September 1st.
One of these departures was Ryan Hardie, who scored 74 goals in 248 games for the team before moving to Wrexham in advance of the Red Dragons’ first season in the second division since 1982.
Given that Tolaj’s contract with freshly promoted Port Vale had a £1.2 million release clause, Cleverley and his recruitment team were tasked with finding a suitable replacement for the Scotsman.
It’s safe to assume that they have accomplished this.
Plymouth Argyle’s “unbelievable” Lorent Tolaj and Port Vale transfer coup is praised by Lee Hendrie.
The striker, who was born in Switzerland, has had a varied career path thus far. He started his current upward trajectory at Aldershot Town after being released by Brighton & Hove Albion.
In fact, in just 48 games for the Shots, the former youth international scored 21 goals and provided 13 assists.
Darren Moore noticed his play at Vale Park last summer. With 14 goals and eight assists in 37 league games, Tolaj was a key part of the Valiants‘ quick transition from League Two to the third division.
In August, he scored his final goal for the team against Stevenage to start his League One career.
A move to Devon hasn’t deterred the all-around forward, who has already contributed six goals in his first eight games for Cleverley’s team, including braces against Burton Albion and in the EFL Trophy match against Cheltenham Town.
However, some players can be excused for starting well, if not spectacularly, in a new setting.
In an exclusive interview with Football League World, Hendrie has praised Tolaj and the people who helped close the sale.
According to the pundit, “He’s got off to an absolute flyer at Plymouth,”
“I’ve already scored four goals this season.
“Centre-forwards are hard to come by, and when you feel it’s the right fit, the right blend – and that’s what seems to be the case here – he’s really got out the traps and got going this season,” Hendrie said.
“A respectable turnover is five goals in eight games.
A great beginning for him, then. If he keeps up that performance, the signing may be very remarkable.
When small diamonds seem to fall apart, we do get these signings when you feel like you’re onto something. Given his performance and goal return, it does seem like they are right now,” he continued.
Transfer masterstrokes are nothing new to Plymouth Argyle; Lorent Tolaj being the most recent
Despite their inconsistent play in recent years, Argyle fans have grown accustomed to watching the Home Park management execute some spectacular transfers, and it appears that Tolaj will be the most recent.
The permanent signings of Bali Mumba and current Middlesbrough winger Morgan Whittaker, who had previously excelled while on loan during the team’s League One title-winning season and later turned a healthy profit on their first then-club-record acquisition, are two clear examples that immediately come to mind.
Tolaj and fellow summer addition Owen Oseni, who has so far scored the most goals per 90 minutes, will surely have a significant impact on Plymouth’s prospects despite his team’s patchy start to the campaign.
On top of his four league goals for Argyle and Vale combined, Tolaj has surprisingly missed seven great chances.
If the 23-year-old can continue to improve his clinicality in front of goal, it is a somewhat concerning indicator for opponents.
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