Loanees, Jephcott: The Plymouth Argyle transfer dilemmas Schumacher is likely to face in January | OneFootball

It’s been a hugely impressive start to the League One season for Plymouth Argyle, who are battling at the top of the table right now.

Steven Schumacher’s side have bounced back from their final day heartbreak in 2021/22 and have established themselves as one of the best sides in the division.

The January transfer window could be vital and with that in mind, we’ve highlighted the dilemmas that Schumacher may face…

Whether to try and emulate their promotion rivals or trust continuity

Argyle are one of three frontrunners for automatic promotion and the League One title this season so it’s likely that their supporters will be keeping a close eye on what business Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday.

Ipswich and Wednesday are two of the biggest spenders in the division so we can expect them to be busy in the winter window.

The dilemma facing Plymouth is whether they should try to emulate them or trust in continuity. Due to the size of their budget, Argyle would have to be creative and find cost-effective ways to do the former.

It’s likely Argyle’s approach will land somewhere in the middle but that might prove frustrating for supporters at points.

Whether to sign more loanees despite EFL restrictions

Given Plymouth’s tight budget, the loan market looks like the most likely source of bringing in players that can increase the quality of Schumacher’s squad but they already have five loanees on their books.

Bali Mumba, Jordan Whittaker, Nigel Lonwijk, Finn Azaz, and Sam Cosgrove have all proven fantastic additions but the EFL limits clubs to five loanees in any matchday squad.

Adding another loanee may improve Plymouth’s depth but it also risks damaging the dressing room atmosphere because one of them would have to miss out every week.

Quiz: Which British club did Plymouth Argyle sign these 26 players from?

1 of 26

Who did Plymouth sign Bali Mumba on loan from?

West Ham Chelsea Norwich City Sheffield United

Whether to recall Luke Jephcott

Plymouth do have the option to recall Luke Jephcott from his loan at Swindon Town in January and that is something Schumacher may consider ahead of the second half of the season.

The 22-year-old has scored five goals in 11 League Two games and could be a useful addition to the Argyle squad with an eye on the business end of the 2022/23 campaign.

He’s flourished at Home Park in the past and with his contract up in the summer, would be playing for his future at the Devon club.

But again, bringing him back to be little more than a benchwarmer may disrupt the status quo, which is the last thing Schumacher will want.