"£4m minimum" - Blunt Plymouth Argyle transfer demand made as Preston enter Lorent Tolaj chase | OneFootball

FLW's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit has given his verdict on how much Lorent Tolaj is worth as Preston North End are linked with the striker.

Plymouth Argyle will be hoping to launch another promotion push in League One next season, but they may have to do that without star striker Lorent Tolaj.

After a poor first half of last season, Plymouth sat in the relegation zone in early January, but while they climbed the table following the turn of the year, they were unable to force their way into the play-offs, eventually finishing in eighth place.

Tolaj was one of the shining lights during a turbulent season for the Pilgrims after his £1.2 million summer move from Port Vale, scoring 21 goals and providing eight assists in 35 appearances in all competitions.

It seems that Tolaj's impressive form at Home Park has not gone unnoticed, and it was claimed in February that Celtic were keen on the 24-year-old and his strike partner Aribim Pepple, but a host of other clubs have joined the Scottish giants in the race for his signature in recent weeks.

Norwich City, Stoke City, Swansea City, Derby County and Millwall are among the Championship sides to have been credited with an interest in Tolaj this summer, while he has also been linked with Belgian side Anderlecht, Danish club Copenhagen and Celtic's Old Firm rivals Rangers.

With the transfer window now open for business, Tolaj's list of suitors is continuing to grow, and, according to the Lancashire Evening Post, the former Switzerland youth international is high on Preston North End's list of possible replacements for Milutin Osmajic should he depart Deepdale as he enters the final year of his contract.

Plymouth Argyle sent strong Lorent Tolaj demand as Preston North End circle

When asked how much the club should demand for Tolaj this summer, FLW's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit Luke Hodge claimed that the Pilgrims should not consider selling him for less than £4 million, while he also insisted that a sizeable sell-on clause should be included in any deal.

"With interest in Lorent Tolaj really hotting up now and Preston reportedly joining Celtic and the rest in the hunt, I suppose it's a great problem for Argyle to have," Luke told FLW.

"Personally, I'm holding firm, the absolute minimum I'm letting him go for is £4 million.

"Even at that figure, it would have to come with a really significant sell-on clause, nothing less.

"Tolaj is a talent who, in my eyes, is worth somewhere around the £5 million-£8 million mark in the right market, but I do know we're in League One, so we have to be realistic.

"That said, I've got zero doubts that this lad is going to go to a high level, and he's absolutely going to smash it there.

"His value and his reputation will only keep rising.

"That's exactly why the sell-on clause is non-negotiable, you want to protect the club for the future if he goes on and becomes a star.

"If the offers are coming in below that £4 million mark, I'd rather keep him for the season ahead.

"He's got three years left on his contract, we're in a strong position, and he would massively boost our chances of getting promoted, which is the whole point right now.

"Let's be honest, if he stays another year and keeps banging in the goals, he'll probably be worth even more next summer anyway.

"My only worry is the modern player, you hope his head doesn't get turned by the promise of higher wages and a step up.

"He says he's happy at Argyle, and I'm sure he is, but he's ambitious too.

"If we stall his career progression too much, that can create its own headaches, we've seen it plenty of times before.

"For me, it's simple, a minimum of £4 million plus a big sell-on or we keep him and go for promotion.

"Ideally, we get a proper bidding war and make the most of it or, even better, he stays and helps fire Argyle into the Championship."

Tom Cleverley and Plymouth Argyle will have mixed emotions amid Lorent Tolaj exit talk

After their upturn in form in the second half of last season, Plymouth will go into next season as one of the favourites in League One, and head coach Tom Cleverley will be keen for Tolaj to lead his side's promotion charge.

Tolaj does not have a release clause in his contract at Home Park, meaning the Pilgrims are in a strong negotiating position, but there is no doubt that their failure to win promotion leaves them vulnerable to losing him this summer.

While Cleverley will be desperate to keep hold of Tolaj, he will know that Argyle would receive a significant windfall from his sale, which could give him increased funds to reinvest in the squad, and he would still have two in-form strikers at his disposal in Pepple and Owen Oseni.