Plymouth Argyle must avoid Ryan Hardie desperation move after QPR deal Tom Cleverley blow | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle must avoid becoming desperate to replace Ryan Hardie, after QPR won the race for Rumarn Burrell.

Plymouth Argyle must avoid falling into a pit of desperation to sign a new number nine, after they missed out on top transfer target Rumarn Burrell to Queens Park Rangers.

The Greens kick off their return to League One after two years in the Championship on Saturday, when they host former player Conor Hourihane's Barnsley.

The Pilgrims are a completely different club to the one that finished last season, with several key departures and a change in the dugout. It's certainly going to feel like a completely new dawn come 3pm on Saturday.

Tom Cleverley has had to deal with key players departing, such as Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu, but is still seeking a replacement for the former after QPR dealt Plymouth a big blow by signing the Devon side's top target Burrell over the weekend.

Despite this setback, Argyle must ensure they avoid falling into the pit of desperation and paying over the odds to secure a replacement before the Tykes make the trip to PL2 for the League One opener.

The state of play as Plymouth Argyle's hunt for new number nine continues

There are certainly mixed feelings heading into the new season at Home Park, with new boss Cleverley still working hard to secure Hardie's direct replacement, which would likely ease the minds of those who are concerned about Argyle this term.

The Greens have already been busy in the striking department this window, signing both Owen Oseni and Bim Pepple from St Mirren and Luton Town respectively. However, neither of these are expected to be the starting striker.

The number nine shirt vacated by the popular Scotsman is still available, and the Pilgrims' head coach has made it clear that a new starting striker is the priority, after his side were dealt a cruel setback in their pursuit of a new talisman.

Plymouth's interest in Burton Albion's Burrell was well documented over the summer, with Football League World being the first to reveal the Devon-based side's admiration of the Jamaican, who scored 11 goals in League One last season.

Cleverley's side launched a bid reported to be in the region of £1m for the 24-year-old's services, but they were beaten by Championship outfit QPR to his signature, ending their almost-month-long pursuit of Burrell.

With just a matter of days remaining until the season kicks off, this came as a bitter blow to the Green Army's hopes of having their new marquee forward ready for the opening day, leading to frustration on social media.

Plymouth must avoid desperation after QPR deal transfer setback

With this setback coming less than a week before Saturday's opening day clash with Barnsley, it left Cleverley and his recruitment team with limited time to try and secure a new striker ready for the first fixture of the League One season.

However, it's key that Plymouth don't become desperate and try to rush a deal through, which could see them overpaying for a player who may not be what they're looking for as Hardie's long-term successor.

Importantly, the options up front for the season opener aren't short, with both Oseni and Pepple available for the 35-year-old, one of which would be more than capable of standing in for one match.

Reports of a permanent deal for Dale Taylor have come as a saving grace for some supporters, but the club must ensure they don't pay over the odds in a desperate bid to have the former Wigan Athletic star for Saturday's game.

With Blackpool also said to be fighting with Argyle to sign the Northern Irishman, they must also avoid putting all their eggs into one basket, as we've seen with Burrell already, as they could once again be beaten to his signing.

Whilst the setback dealt by QPR for Burrell added to frustrations and has likely prevented Cleverley from having his new number nine ready for the start of the season, the Pilgrims mustn't rush into any deals out of desperation, as this could backfire massively.