2 exciting Plymouth Argyle starlets that could make the club serious money | OneFootball

The duo have already impressed in the early stages of their careers at Home Park

Plymouth Argyle have had a number of academy graduates flourish higher up the football pyramid in recent history, with the club having the pick of Devon and Cornwall to scour the next generation of young talent.

The likes of former Newcastle United man Dan Gosling, Southampton centre back Jack Stephens and new Stoke City signing Sam Gallagher have all come up through the ranks at Home Park in the past, although the club were unable to cash in on their talented stars due to their financial struggles at the time.

Michael Cooper looks to be the next local lad to make it big, with the goalkeeper reportedly the subject of two bids from Sheffield United this summer, having caught the eye with a number of top performances between the sticks for the Pilgrims of late.

But with new stars coming through all the time, Argyle will be looking at the next cohort of teenage talents who have big aspirations in the coming months, with a number already staking their claim for regular first team minutes in the season ahead.

Freddie Issaka

The 2024/25 campaign could be the year that Freddie Issaka finally makes his breakthrough into the Plymouth Argyle first team, having been given a smattering of minutes over the past few campaigns.

Having become the youngest ever player for the club when he made his debut at the age of 15 years and 34 days in August 2021, the Welsh youth international has continued to develop away from the eyes of the public, with some promising displays for the development team at Home Park.

Sporadic opportunities within the first-team have also come for the teenager, but after signing a long-term deal with the club until 2028 earlier in the summer, the next 12 months could see him rise to prominence for the Devon outfit.

The 18-year-old came off the bench in the Pilgrims’ opening day defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, and looked lively on the left wing, as his pace and trickery forged a handful of opportunities when he was given the chance to run at a defender.

With some more Championship minutes under his belt, Issaka could be a top player in the making, and if he continues the sort of form that he has shown for the youth team into the professional game, there could be a number of teams sniffing around in the years to come.

Caleb Roberts

Caleb Roberts came up through the ranks in the same year group as Issaka, and the midfielder has also proven himself to be a capable performer in the middle of the park during his brief cameos for the Greens to date.

The 18-year-old currently has a contract until the summer of 2026 with the club, and has featured just nine times in all competitions, but was a constant presence in pre-season until injury hit.

The teenager will miss the first month of the season with an ankle issue sustained against Torquay United last month, but could well play his part later in the campaign once he regains his match sharpness.

With new Argyle boss Rooney making his intentions clear that he will have no fear in blooding young players during his time in charge at Home Park, Roberts’ stock could well be rising by the end of the campaign, as he looks to stake his claim for a regular spot in the middle of the park.

With Adam Randell, Adam Forshaw and Darko Gyabi for company in that role as it stands, the young midfielder’s energy and technique would be warmly welcomed into the engine room, as he looks to find his footing in the professional game.

Once given the chance to shine, there is no reason why Roberts can’t flourish into a top talent in the future, and Argyle will be hoping they can continue to develop outstanding players for the long-term sustainability of the football club.