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Whilst Plymouth Argyle fans often joke about former players returning, Sonny Bradley might actually be a good option for the Greens.

Former Plymouth Argyle fan favourite Sonny Bradley has been released by Derby County, leaving him in need of a new home ahead of next season.

It's a running joke among Argyle fans that re-signing ex-players is often a theme of conversation in the transfer window, but the veteran defender could be a genuinely solid option for the Pilgrims.

Bradley fell out of favour at Pride Park last season having played a key part in the Rams' promotion campaign in League One the season before, which saw him released at the end of his contract.

However, between January and May, the 33-year-old enjoyed an excellent loan spell at Wycombe Wanderers, rolling back the years with some vintage displays for the Chairboys.

Given Argyle will be looking to gain promotion back to the Championship next season, a reunion with Bradley could be an excellent piece of business on and off the pitch.

Sonny Bradley still proving to be a top League One player

It's unclear how different Miron Muslic's side that starts the season will look in comparison to the one that finished it. In the defensive department, Nikola Katic looks unlikely to return for a second stint at Home Park, and Maksym Talovierov has already been linked with a move away.

With that in mind, Plymouth may well need to add some quality depth to their back line, which is why former fan favourite Bradley could be an excellent option on a free transfer.

The now 33-year-old put himself on the map during his time in Devon between 2016 and 2018, which saw him make just under 100 appearances for the club, scoring an impressive 11 goals from centre-back thanks to his commanding aerial presence.

Bradley is coming off the back of a successful loan at Wycombe, which saw him play a key role in one of the promotion hunting sides. Despite coming up short in the play-offs, the defender proved he's still got what it takes to be a top centre-back in League One.

Of course, if the free agent were to re-sign for the Pilgrims, it's unlikely he'd become a first-team regular, but Bradley would be a great rotation option that can do a job whenever he's called upon.

Adding an experienced player alongside the likes of Joe Edwards and Victor Palsson would be highly beneficial to the group, and his promotion-winning experience could prove invaluable.

Muslic must find the right balance of experience and youthfulness

The crux of Plymouth's title-winning League One season two years ago was mainly the squad's excellent mix of young and hungry prospects coupled with highly experienced EFL players.

The balance of Steven Schumacher's legendary squad was perfect, and Muslic will be keen to emulate a similar sort of blueprint to get Argyle back into the Championship at the first time of asking.

Plenty of that title-winning squad still remain at Home Park, and have developed even further as players in the previous two seasons since the Greens went up.

Whilst it remains unclear what will unfold in the summer, players such as Ryan Hardie and the aforementioned Talovierov continue to be linked with moves away from the club, which could dictate the club's business in the summer.

Alongside this, a few key additions to bolster the depth of the squad will be key, as it was two seasons ago. This is where a signing like Bradley would be extremely useful, similar to how veteran defender James Wilson played a key role in Argyle's last success.

All in all, it might not be the most exciting signing in the world, but to add a cult hero and serial winner into the squad would be a very sensible move by Muslic, especially off the back of Bradley's excellent loan spell which proved he can still do the business at the top of League One.