£1.5m Plymouth Argyle transfer agreement will have many scratching their heads | OneFootball

Michael Baidoo's move to Plymouth Argyle has been a confusing one. Six months into his stay at Home Park, he joined Umm Salal SC on loan.

Plymouth Argyle signed Michael Baidoo from IF Elfsborg in January for a then-club-record fee of £1.5m. Six months later, he left the club, and also left many supporters scratching their heads.

There’s been a mass exodus over the last couple of weeks at Home Park, as Ryan Hardie, Adam Randell, and now Baidoo have all left the club in the space of a fortnight. With Maksym Talovierov also linked with a move away in recent days, Argyle need reinforcements in multiple areas of the pitch.

The most disappointing of these departures for many supporters will be the attacking midfielder, who arrived in early January for a then-club-record fee of £1.5m, sparking huge excitement. Sadly, he would be unable to even show glimpses of the promise he showed in Sweden before the transfer.

Baidoo was tipped by some to overcome the difficulties he faced in his first six months in English football next season, as Plymouth’s relegation back to League One could’ve helped him find some confidence at a lower level.

Unfortunately, that won’t be the case, as the 26-year-old made a season-long loan switch to Qatar Stars League outfit Umm Salal SC. This left many scratching their heads at where it all went wrong for the former record signing in Devon.

Michael Baidoo's transfer leaves Plymouth Argyle scratching their heads

When the Pilgrims finally got a deal over the line for Baidoo in January, there was plenty of excitement and expectation over the addition, as the club had been chasing him since the summer. Excitingly, he also played a key role in Elfsborg’s Europa League campaign in the first half of the season.

However, the new signing struggled to adapt to English football and ended up starting just four league matches in his first six months at the club and ending the season with no goal contributions. Despite this, optimism about him finding form in League One next season was there from fans.

Unfortunately, they won’t have a chance to find out this season, as Baidoo completed a loan move with an option to buy to Umm Salal over the previous weekend, bringing his short and not-so-sweet time in Devon to a temporary halt.

This left many associated with the club scratching their heads, as the Ghanaian had commanded a big fee to be limited to just four league starts, and then sent out on loan just six months later. All in all, this looks to be poor business from Argyle, who will be equally frustrated.

Baidoo could have a way back at Home Park

The biggest takeaway from this transfer is that the deal between the two clubs is a season-long loan deal with a reported 'six-figure sum' as a loan fee, and an option to buy is mentioned to be a similar fee to what the Greens paid for him, as revealed by Plymouth Live. This is arguably a great deal for Plymouth, as many wouldn't have thought they'd be able to recoup anywhere near the £1.5m fee they spent on Baidoo in January.

If the loan is successful and the midfielder impresses the Greens in Qatar, he could certainly get another shot at the first team upon his return. But, this all depends on his loan side, and if they decide to exercise the option to make the loan permanent, leaving the Pilgrims rather powerless if they wanted to keep him.

It’s unclear what the motive behind the move was for Baidoo himself. Perhaps not wanting to play third-tier football, for financial reasons, or his desire to try something new, to regain some confidence. Despite this, to leave so soon after to a rather obscure division rather than prove himself at Plymouth will remain a head-scratcher.

The Ghanian could have a way back in PL2 when if returns at the end of the 2025/26 season, but it’s unclear whether this loan is an attempt by Argyle to guarantee they will recoup most of the fee they spent on him, or a move to help his confidence with reintegration into the squad in mind next season. However, this remains in Umm Salal's hands, and if they decide to activate his buyout clause.