Tom Cleverley confirms 'bad news' for Plymouth Argyle - It's not what they need | OneFootball

Tom Cleverley has confirmed that Plymouth Argyle will be without midfielder Caleb Watts for an extended period.

Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley has confirmed that midfielder Caleb Watts will be out for around four months with a hamstring injury.

After the club were relegated from the Championship last season, Cleverley oversaw a huge overhaul of the Plymouth squad this summer as a total of 15 new signings arrived at Home Park during the transfer window.

However, few of those additions generated more headlines than Watts, with the 23-year-old making the move from Devon rivals Exeter City, where he had spent the previous two years, scoring five goals and providing three assists in 48 games.

Watts made a strong start to his Home Park career as he got on the scoresheet on his debut in the 3-1 defeat to Barnsley on the opening weekend, and he netted his second goal for the Pilgrims in their 4-2 victory over Stockport County earlier this month.

Having started all eight of Argyle's league games so far this season, Watts has been an integral part of Cleverley's side, but he was forced off after just five minutes in the 3-2 win at Luton Town on Saturday after sustaining a hamstring problem, and he is now set for a lengthy lay-off.

As they go in search of their third consecutive league victory, Plymouth host bottom side Peterborough United this weekend, but Watts will not be available for the visit of Darren Ferguson's side as he begins his rehabilitation.

Tom Cleverley drops frustrating Caleb Watts, Plymouth Argyle injury update

Speaking post-match after the victory at Luton on Saturday, Plymouth assistant head coach Damon Lathrope admitted that Watts' injury was "not looking good", and Cleverley has now confirmed that the midfielder is facing around four months on the sidelines.

"Bad news, I'm afraid. It's a hamstring surgery, so it'll be around four months...We'll review, what can we do to make sure this doesn't happen again," Cleverley said, as quoted by the club's official X account.

The Pilgrims have been plagued by injury in the early weeks of the season, and Watts becomes the latest player to join a lengthy list of absentees that includes Conor Hazard, Julio Pleguezuelo, Kornel Szucs, Jack MacKenzie, Xavier Amaechi and Jamie Paterson.

However, while Pleguezuelo and Amaechi still have a long way to go in their recoveries, Cleverley did deliver a more positive update on Hazard, Szucs, MacKenzie and Paterson, with the Argyle chief revealing that the quartet are all closing in on a return.

"We feared the worst with Kornel Szucs, he got away with an MCL strain and should be with us in about four weeks. Some good news - Jack Mackenzie, Conor Hazard and Jamie Paterson are all on the verge of returning. Conor should be in the squad on Saturday," Cleverley said.

Caleb Watts injury news is a big blow for Plymouth Argyle

Watts' decision to make the move across Devon was always going to be controversial, but Plymouth supporters were delighted to see the midfielder reject the offer of a new contract at Exeter in order to join the club, and he has further endeared himself to the Home Park faithful with some strong early performances in a Pilgrims shirt.

It has not been the easiest start to the season for Argyle, but Watts has been one of their most consistent performers so far this campaign, and he has offered a real attacking threat from midfield.

With Plymouth's squad already stretched by injuries, losing Watts for an extended period is the last thing that Cleverley needed, and while he does still have plenty of options at his disposal in the midfield areas, whoever comes into the team will have big shoes to fill.