Celtic transfer blow? Tom Cleverley says Plymouth Argyle stars have no 'appetite to leave' | OneFootball

Tom Cleverley has said that neither Lorent Tolaj nor Aribim Pepple have an immediate desire to leave Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle's recent rise up the League One table deserves an enormous amount of respect, with the Pilgrims looking like relegation candidates less than a couple of months ago.

A huge portion of the credit must be directed towards head coach Tom Cleverley, who, after a difficult start to life in Devon following his dismissal from Watford, has managed to turn the club's fortunes around.

It would have been very easy for owner Simon Hallett to pull the plug on the 36-year-old's time at Home Park following Plymouth's six-game losing streak across all competitions between October and November, but instead, stuck by the former Manchester United midfielder, which looks to have paid off.

Their upturn in form and performances has coincided with a flurry of goals, with 12 goals scored in their last three league games alone, including five in the 5-2 home win of high-flying Cardiff City.

Confidence is high and things are ticking along nicely in Devon, and Cleverley may have just raised spirits even more with his latest admission.

Lorent Tolaj and Aribim Pepple have been excellent for Plymouth this season, with the latter in particular hitting a rich vein of form as of late.

The Canadian initially struggled following his permanent move from Luton Town in the summer, but his nine goals and two assists in his last 14 games in all competitions have seen him shoot to prominence.

There have been reports that Scottish giants Celtic are reportedly leading the race for the 23-year-old as well as Tolaj, though Cleverley has recently come out and responded to those links, in what can only be described as good news for Argyle supporters.

Cleverley said: "For as long as they are Argyle players, and they are playing with that badge on their chest they are giving everything for this club.

"They love playing for this club. It's rightly so they should be recognised for what they are doing, and at this level your players will always be linked with clubs in higher leagues or different European leagues.

"They have both got good mentalities to have tunnel vision. They know their job. They have got high ambitions both individually and collectively at this football club, and neither of them have got any appetite to leave the football club."

It's the response many Argyle supporters would have been hoping to hear following the recent links, with the pair fully invested into helping the Pilgrims back into the Championship at the first time of asking this campaign.

Though this does not necessarily mean interest won't reemerge in the summer and their heads won't turn, but for now, it's as good news as fans could've been possibly hoping for.

Lorent Tolaj and Aribim Pepple can help Plymouth Argyle and Tom Cleverley to promotion this campaign

It looked for all certainty that Plymouth's chances of finding themselves back in the Championship anytime soon were dead and buried after the calamitous start to the season they endured.

However, now, they look primed for a place in the top six if they can sustain this form.

Key to that will be both Tolaj and Pepple, although the Swiss forward is expected to be out for at least four weeks due to a muscle tear in one of his legs, meaning the onus falls upon the Canadian in his absence.

Pepple has come on leaps and bounds in recent months, having finally found his feet in the third tier, and if Plymouth continue to create a high volume of chances, expect him to put the majority away.

Tolaj's injury no doubt comes as a huge blow for Plymouth and Cleverley, who will be eagerly awaiting his return to bolster their promotion charge.