Ben Waine? The 4 Plymouth Argyle players that need to prove a point in pre-season or risk 2024/25 axe | OneFootball

These players will have to prove themselves in the next two months if they are to have any future at Home Park

With July just around the corner, pre-season is starting to get into full swing, as players from all clubs get pushed through their paces before another EFL campaign.

For some it will be a chance to meet new teammates, while for others it will be a last chance saloon, with their futures hanging on the line.

Plymouth Argyle will travel to Marbella for some warm weather training at the end of the week, before taking on South African side Orlando Pirates on Spanish turf to get the Wayne Rooney era fully up and running.

Away matches against the likes of Cheltenham Town and Bristol Rovers will follow upon their return to the UK, with a number of players looking to impress their new boss with the slate wiped clean from the season before.

Some stars won’t be in a green shirt by the time the transfer window comes to a close at the end of August though, and here we take a look at four players likely to be fighting for their futures this summer.

Tyreik Wright

This one already look like a foregone conclusion, but there is still a very slim chance that Tyreik Wright could have a pre-season for the ages and complete the most unlikely on U-turns in his Argyle career.

The former Aston Villa man has been on the periphery ever since he joined the Devon outfit in January 2023, having made just six starts in his 18 months as a Pilgrim.

Despite his blistering pace on the flanks, the move to the West Country has never quite worked out for the 22-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan with former side Bradford City.

The Sun journalist Alan Nixon has already reported this summer that the Bantams are keen for a repeat of that deal, with the wide man seemingly at his happiest while playing for the Yorkshire side.

Rooney will likely give the Republic of Ireland youth international the once over during their trip to the continent, but it looks as if the writing could already be on the wall regarding Wright’s future at the club.

Callum Wright

Much like his namesake above, Callum Wright hasn’t edged his way into the Argyle first-team in the way he might have imagined when he moved from Blackpool last January, with the playmaker starting just eight games in the last campaign.

After months in the wilderness, the 24-year-old came back into the fold for the final five matches of the season, with his first league start in three months seeing Argyle secure a vital victory over Rotherham United.

Having had eight goal contributions in 20 matches during the Pilgrims’ successful League One campaign in 22/23, Wright has struggled with the step up in class that the Championship brings, much as he did with the Tangerines during his time at Bloomfield Road.

The playmaker currently has a deal that lasts until the summer of 2026, so offloading him permanently might prove to be tricky this summer, but a loan move to a promotion-chasing League One side could well be what he needs to find some form.

Pre-season will offer him the chance to impress Rooney as well as stake a claim for a regular place in the side, but if Argyle are able to bring in some extra quality in wide areas this summer he could well be deemed surplus to requirements in the coming months.

Ben Waine

This summer is seemingly make or break for Ben Waine, with the New Zealand international struggling to get to grips with the trials and tribulations that English football brings.

Having joined the club from Wellington Phoenix in January 2023, the Kiwi has just three goals in 41 league appearances, although only ten of those matches have been from the first whistle.

The 23-year-old has the ability to sniff out chances when needed, but with Ryan Hardie proving hard to dislodge as the main man in the striking role, Waine has cut a frustrated figure at times as he strives to make the most of his chances on the pitch.

The arrival of one of the country’s finest ever strikers as his new boss could well bring new life into the striker this summer, with Rooney sure to know exactly what he wants from his attacking outlets.

With just a year remaining on his contract, the decision will need to be made whether Argyle cash in on him while they still can, or give him a final year to decide whether to trigger the one-year option on his current deal.

A positive pre-season could really help in that regard, and after finding the back of the net on international duty this summer, he could well come back hungry for more and make his claim for a regular place in the side.

Saxon Earley

The Saxon Earley conundrum is a tricky one this summer, with the young fullback suffering injury after injury in the season just gone, which left him fit enough to play just one game all season.

The former Norwich City man has played just 412 league minutes since making the move to Home Park 18 months ago, and Argyle must be debating whether to move him on this summer once he regains full fitness.

There is no question that the 21-year-old can be a top operator on his day, but with many question marks remaining over his long-term availability, he will have to prove he is up to the job this summer or face the possibility of finding himself on the fringes of the squad.

A loan move may be the best option for all involved this summer if the Pilgrims still see potential in the young star, with Nathanael Ogbeta already arriving to provide competition on the flanks.