Opinion: Should Plymouth Argyle striker Luke Jephcott get a chance higher up the football pyramid? | OneFootball

It’s hard to believe that Luke Jephcott is just 21-years old considering his goalscoring exploits so far for Plymouth.

The youngster rose up through the youth ranks at the club and broke into the first team back in 2018. At just 18, he managed to make two starts for Argyle and looked decent enough as a squad option. A year later though, he proved he was much more than just a player you could rely on to come off the bench.

In just 13 starts, he bagged seven goals – a very respectable record. He bettered himself a season later, plundering 16 in just 31 starts.

With already four goals in 11 starts this year, it shows how Jephcott is getting better and better every campaign. With more gametime, he grows more aware of what positions he needs to be in, where his teammates are and how to bag goals on a regular basis.

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He’s now a first-team regular in a side that isn’t just trying to accept League One mediocrity but are battling for a place in the play-offs (or even the title) and a potential spot in the Championship.

So surely he could cut it at a higher level? Surely there should be teams sniffing around him come January or next summer too?

Plymouth fans will certainly be hoping not. The forward has become pivotal to the side and if they want to have any chance of competing at the top on a regular basis, they’d be wise to do whatever it took to keep him. That isn’t always possible though and if a large bid comes in from a team a lot better off than Ryan Lowe’s men, they may have to think twice about turning it down.

Jephcott could certainly fetch a significant fee. With his age and goalscoring ability, there’s no question he could grow into an even better striker. He’s already proven in the third tier – and at the top end no less – and looks as if he could make the jump up to the Championship judging by his ability to produce more and more every season so far.

The 21-year old then could be worth a pretty penny and would be an attractive proposition for no end of teams. But who should consider looking at him?

There aren’t any sides concretely linked with him as of yet but he could certainly boost a number of second tier sides in the attacking department.

Bristol City would be one. Even though they have both Chris Martin and Andreas Weimann firing in the goals currently, both of them are in their thirties and could need replacing with some youth soon. Swansea have struggled for goals and could maybe find the funds to bring him to the side too.

If Barnsley want to avoid a relegation struggle, they too could be best served adding someone like Jephcott to the team to try and help fire them out of the bottom three. He’s a risk at Championship level having not played there yet in his career but he represents shrewd business in the long run – he could be picked up for relatively cheap perhaps and the reward could be huge (as could the resale value).

Even a team like Rotherham, Wigan or Sunderland could look to consolidate their place at the top end of League One by adding some more firepower to their side (and hindering a promotion rival too while they’re at it).

Maybe some teams then need to start looking back towards League One for their signings in January. Plymouth fans will be telling onlookers to clear off but if you stay, you might just find a diamond in the rough in Jephcott.