Plymouth Argyle could have a long-term Morgan Whittaker replacement already: View | OneFootball

In a season of ups and downs for Plymouth Argyle, the Greens have had to rely on the magnificence of Morgan Whittaker to bail them out of trouble more than once this season.

The former Swansea City man has 27 goal contributions over the course of the season, meaning he has been involved in 46.5% of the times the Pilgrims have put the ball in the back of the net.

That stat alone pinpoints just how influential he has been in the battle to avoid the drop in the Championship in the current campaign, with the relegation battle going right down to the wire in the second tier.

Those performances have rightly earned the left-footed whizkid plenty of interest from further afield ahead of the off-season, but the Pilgrims could have the perfect person to fill his boots already training alongside him in Devon.

Freddie Issaka impresses for Plymouth Argyle as Premier League clubs circle for Morgan Whittaker

Freddie Issaka has been rumoured to be the next big thing to come out of the Plymouth Argyle academy for some time now, and this season the Green Army have finally managed to get more of a glimpse of the teenager in action.

The Wales youth international made history for the club in 2021 when he came on as a substitute in the EFL Trophy against Newport County, as he became the youngest ever player in the history of the football club at 15 years and 34 days.

After just a handful of appearances for the League One winning side of 22/23, Issaka has continued to impress for the Argyle academy side, with his name regularly appearing on the scoresheet when he isn’t involved in first-team duties.

Despite mustering just 39 minutes of league football this campaign, the 17-year-old already has plenty of Pilgrims clamouring for him to be nailing down a starting place in the team, with his blistering pace a key aspect to his game.

Even at such a tender age, Issaka has impressed in his brief cameos on the pitch; with his confidence to take on a defender and ability to pick a pass looking like that of a player with plenty more experience than he currently possesses.

The forward has already earned himself national appreciation, having been nominated for the Championship Apprenticeship of the Year award for the 23/24 campaign, alongside Leeds United’s Archie Gray and Nathan Lowe of Stoke City.

Having been an unused substitute in the recent 1-0 defeat of league-leaders Leicester City and 3-0 loss to Stoke City, current interim boss Neil Dewsnip has hinted at the prospect of including the teenager for the final two matches of the season.

Freddie Issaka could provide the spark to help Plymouth Argyle avoid Championship relegation

The Pilgrims currently sit two points above the dreaded dotted line in the second tier with two matches remaining, with clashes against Millwall and Hull City to come to preserve their status as a Championship club.

With the Pilgrims failing to score more than once in any of their last ten matches, there could be no better chance than to unleash a player who has found the net regularly in youth team action, and has the future of the club at his heart, having been born just down the road in Truro.

Whittaker is said to be attracting the likes of West Ham and Brentford, as well as European giants Lazio in the recent January transfer window, and it looks likely that the midfielder will be on his way out of Home Park during the off-season, leaving Issaka with the perfect opportunity to stake his claim for a regular spot in the first team.

The teenager can follow in the footsteps of fellow first-teamers Adam Randell and Mike Cooper [pictured] into becoming prominent features in matchday squads, with both becoming regulars since their promotion from the youth side.

WIth his devastating pace and bagfuls of skill, Issaka looks to be the real deal even at such a young age, and despite Whittaker likely to be moving on to pastures new, the Green Army can rest assured they have the perfect man to fill the void once he does so.