Exclusive: Plymouth Argyle make late move to sign Derby County's Ben Osborn | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle have made an enquiry to take Derby County's Ben Osborn on loan.

Plymouth Argyle have made an enquiry to take Derby County midfielder Ben Osborn on loan, sources have exclusively revealed to Football League World.

Tom Cleverley's side have been busy in the transfer window already, bringing 13 new players to Home Park, the latest of whom being Port Vale striker Lorent Tolaj, who joined in a deal believed to be worth £1.2m last week.

With the window slamming shut on Monday evening, the new Argyle head coach revealed that his priority has moved to adding a midfield reinforcement, and that man could be Derby County's Ben Osborn.

Sources have exclusively told Football League World that the Pilgrims have submitted an enquiry to the Championship side to take the experienced midfielder on loan.

Osborn has featured just two times for John Eustace's side this season, and the recent acquisition of Lewis Travis has seen him fall down the pecking order, and he could be in line to depart before the window closes on Monday.

Plymouth Argyle make Ben Osborn loan enquiry

Argyle have endured a difficult transfer window this summer, despite the quantity of players that have come through the door at Home Park, and were left frustrated in their search for a central defender and a striker.

However, those two issues have been overcome, and Cleverley has now shifted his focus to adding a reinforcement in the midfield before Monday's 7pm deadline.

This has seen Plymouth make a loan enquiry for out-of-favour Derby star Osborn, sources exclusively informed Football League World on Friday afternoon.

The 31-year-old is hugely experienced in the second tier of English football, and has never played a minute of his career below the Championship, with 291 appearances in the division.

Osborn was a stalwart for Nottingham Forest between 2013 and 2019, before he joined Sheffield United in 2019, and helped them earn two promotions to the Premier League.

He joined Derby in 2024 after being released by the Blades, but has only featured 28 times for the Rams so far, which has seen Plymouth coming knocking to take the experienced midfielder on loan.

Ben Osborn brings a wealth of quality and experience to Plymouth Argyle

It's been a difficult start to the season for the new Argyle head coach, who had to endure four-straight defeats in the league before his side finally picked up their first win of the season against Blackpool last Saturday.

However, there is certainly still room to strengthen the squad, and a move for Osborn would be a smart piece of business for Cleverley, as he will be adding a wise head to his engine room.

The fact the 31-year-old made over 350 appearances in the top two divisions of English football speaks volumes about how dependable and integral the midfielder is in the sides that he's played for in the past.

The Pilgrims are somewhat lacking experienced players in their squad who are still starting quality, and Osborn's arrival would certainly address that issue by adding a much-needed piece of Cleverley's jigsaw.

His versatility also gives the 36-year-old a new trick up his sleeve, as the Derby man can not only play in the center of midfield, but also at full-back and as a wide midfielder, providing cover should any injuries arise.

All-in-all, this move represents a low-risk, high-reward deal for Plymouth, who will reap the rewards of having a wise head like Osborn on board, and aren't splashing out a big fee with a simple loan deal being proposed.