Shola Shoretire in: Plymouth Argyle's dream XI for next season ft 4 realistic signings | OneFootball

Transfer season is well and truly upon us, with teams right across the EFL preparing their squads for the next campaign in August with plenty of negotiations underway.

Plymouth Argyle have already made two signings this summer; one being the appointment of new boss Wayne Rooney, and the other being former Swansea City fullback Nathanael Ogbeta, who joined last week.

The Pilgrims will be looking to add more personnel over the coming months, with those at Home Park looking to improve on their 21st placed finish in the Championship in the previous campaign.

Here we take a look at what an ideal starting lineup would look like for the Greens ahead of the next campaign, with a handful of additions to the squad to give them an injection of quality over the summer.

Mike Cooper

Keeping hold of Mike Cooper will be some of the best business Rooney and the Home Park hierarchy can do this summer, with the highly-rated goalkeeper about to enter the final year of his current deal in Devon.

Sun journalist Alan Nixon reported that the shot-stopper’s future at the club is one of the new boss’s priorities after being given the job last month, such is his impact on the side when he is between the sticks.

Whether it is his agility and reaction-saves or comfort in possession, the 24-year-old oozes quality as Argyle’s No.1, and to start the season with him still at the club would be an ideal scenario for everyone of a green persuasion.

Bali Mumba

He may not have been as explosive as he was in his first season in a green shirt, but Bali Mumba still possesses the qualities to threaten many a defence in the Championship with his performances at right wingback.

When he is on form, the former Norwich City man can run defenders ragged down the Argyle right side, with his combination play with Morgan Whittaker further up the field proving to be a successful avenue of attack for the Pilgrims in recent times.

With such an emphasis on exploiting the wider areas, a player like Mumba is a valuable asset to have for this Argyle side, and he will be looking to kick on after experiencing his first full season in the second tier.

Dan Scarr

You just have to look at the improvement in Argyle from a defensive standpoint after Dan Scarr was recalled for the final six matches of the most recent Championship season, with the former Walsall man’s presence helping to sure things up at the back.

Having been out of the equation for the previous two months, the centre back came back into the fold seamlessly; keeping three clean sheets to help Argyle maintain their status as a Championship side.

The centre-back has proven that he has the attitude to perform in the second tier, and as a fan’s favourite he would be a popular choice to remain as part of the back three ahead of the next campaign.

Lewis Gibson

He may have played in a side that were one of the leakiest in the whole division last season, but Lewis Gibson’s performances really caught they eye at the heart of the Argyle backline.

Playing as the central defender in the back three for the majority of the campaign, the former Everton man was a fundamental reason why the Greens are still in the division, with some monumental displays for his side.

No player came anywhere close to his 76 blocked shots from the 23/24 season, underlining his impact in keeping second tier sides at bay in the battle for survival near the end of the campaign.

There could well be some interest in the centre-back’s services after such a stellar season, so to keep him at Home Park until the month of September would be a real benefit for the Pilgrims.

Ashley Phillips

There were plenty of signs that Ashley Phillips is destined to have a promising career in football during the teenager’s loan spell at Home Park last summer, and a repeat of his loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur would suit all parties down to the ground.

The young defender has already proven himself at international level with the English development sides, and a full season under his belt at Championship level will be exactly what he needs at this moment of his career.

With his aerial ability and skill of reading the game, Phillips could slot back into his spot in the backline this summer, something that director of football Neil Dewsnip has hinted may be in the Pilgrims’ plans.

He said: “The loan players will obviously go back (to the parent clubs) but we are already in discussions to see if we can maybe access one or two of those to stay again next year, but we are very early in the discussions."

Nathanael Ogbeta

With his arrival to the club last week, Ogbeta became Argyle’s first signing of the summer, with the right wingback joining the club after his departure from Swansea City.

Having spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers in League One, the move is another chance for the former Manchester City man to prove what he can do at Championship level, and Argyle’s style of play could see him thrive next year.

With Mickel Miller looking likely to leave the club following the expiration of his contract at the end of the month - amid interest from Preston North End, Portsmouth, and Oxford United - Ogbeta looks like a more than capable replacement in his position, with pace to burn up and down the flanks.

Bosun Lawal

What Argyle were lacking for periods in the previous campaign was a wily midfielder who could break opposition play up, as well as be the spring broad for attacks to start themselves, and a player like Bosun Lawal could offer that in spades.

The Celtic man proved just as much while on loan with Fleetwood Town in League One last season, with his performances one of the few bright sparks for the Cod Army as they dropped down into League Two.

Argyle would have to work hard to make him theirs this summer, with the likes of Derby County, Queens Park Rangers and Portsmouth all said to be keen on him, but his signing would add another layer of steel into the centre of the park for Rooney to work with.

Argyle are said to be one of a number of EFL clubs after the signature of Marc Leonard this summer, with the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder said to be available for a fee of £300,000.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed loan spells at Northampton Town for each of the past two seasons, contributing to 13 goals in the process, and is said to have the likes of Wrexham, Oxford United, and Cardiff City after him this summer.

Preston North End have recently ruled themselves out of any deal for the midfielder, who has the abilities to transform the team with his ball playing ability and ability to pick a pass at will.

The competition in the centre of the park would see Adam Randell deputising from the bench, but the local lad’s enthusiasm and desire would always be a reliable option to call upon when needed.

Morgan Whittaker

Argyle fans would be in dreamland if Morgan Whittaker was to lineup for the side in the starting match of next season, such is the clamour for the attacker’s signature of late.

A number of Premier League clubs were said to be interested in purchasing the playmaker in January, with Brentford and Fulham both said to be monitoring his progress, as well as Serie A side Lazio.

With 19 goals across the previous campaign, the former Swansea City man was the main man at Home Park, having rejoined the Pilgrims in a £1 million club-record deal in the summer.

Although the powers that be will be weighing up whether to sell him or not this summer, there is no denying the impact what his presence would have both on and off the field next season, with the fanbase taking him under their wing like one of their own.

Shola Shoretire

This one would lean very much on Rooney’s Manchester United links, but a move for Red Devils academy star Shola Shoretire could help to bolster the Pilgrims’ attacking line ahead of the next campaign.

The forward is reportedly frustrated with his lack of game time at Old Trafford, having been overtaken in the ranks by fellow young stars Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, and a stint in Devon could work wonders to reignite his career.

The 20-year-old spent six months on loan at Bolton Wanderers in the 22/23 campaign, before scoring seven goals in nine games for United’s development side in PL2 last season.

With the forward reportedly eager for first-team opportunities, there could be no better mentor than one of the country’s finest strikers in recent years, with Rooney likely to have a big impact on any forwards he deals with.

Having played centrally and in a wide position in the past, Shoretire could offer an outlet from the flanks for Argyle, with his eye for goal and technical ability making him a hot prospect for the future, and a player they could help prosper with a temporary switch.

Ryan Hardie

Although he went through the driest of dry spells to end the previous campaign, much of Argyle’s attacking threat comes through the willingness and selflessness of Ryan Hardie in the No.9 role, with the Scot excelling during his time in Devon.

Whether it is chasing down lost causes, harassing defenders, or nonchalantly finding the back of the net after sitting the opposition down, the former Blackpool man has proven he can perform in the second tier, with 12 goals from 40 appearances in his first season at the level.

As well as fashioning chances for himself, Hardie’s workmate offers the likes of Whittaker and co. the space to do what they do best in the final third as well, and with his galloping stride masking a mean turn of pace, he can often make something out of nothing when his team needs it the most.