Plymouth Argyle backed to seal deal for Wrexham star - 'no disrespect to Owen Oseni or Aribim Pepple' | OneFootball

FLW's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit has given his verdict on whether the club should move for out-of-favour Wrexham striker Ryan Hardie in January.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Striker Ryan Hardie only joined Wrexham from Plymouth Argyle in the summer, but his time in North Wales could already be coming to an end.

Hardie scored 74 goals in 248 games during a successful five-and-a-half year spell at Plymouth prior to departing for Wrexham for a fee of £700,000 in the summer, including netting 12 goals in 40 games last season as the Devon outfit were relegated from the Championship.

Given his strong record at second tier level, Hardie looked to be something of a bargain signing for the Red Dragons, but he has endured a frustrating spell at the SToK Cae Ras so far, scoring just one goal in nine appearances, with only four of those coming from the start.

Hardie featured for the first time in the league since mid-September as he was introduced as a late substitute in Wrexham's 0-0 draw at Ipswich Town on Saturday, but as his struggles for game time continue, the 28-year-old is considering the possibility of an exit in January, as FLW exclusively revealed on Monday.

There would likely be no shortage of interest in Hardie if he was made available for transfer in the winter window, and with his former club Plymouth currently languishing towards the bottom of League One, a return to Home Park could be one potential option for the Scot.

The Pilgrims picked up a much-needed 1-0 victory at Port Vale on Saturday to move off the foot of the table, but they are still one point from safety, and goals have been an issue this season for Tom Cleverley's side, who have found the back of the net just 19 times in their 16 league games.

Plymouth Argyle told to make Ryan Hardie move in January amid fresh Wrexham update

When asked if he would welcome Hardie back to Home Park, FLW's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit Luke Hodge insisted that it would be a no-brainer for the club to seal a deal for the striker in January, but he admitted he believes his return is unlikely.

"Anyone who says they wouldn't take him back on loan is absolutely crazy," Luke told FLW.

"It would be a complete no-brainer to bring Ryan Hardie back to Plymouth if he is available and it could happen.

"He knows the club inside out, and we are desperate for strikers.

"We have Lorent Tolaj, and that's it really.

"No disrespect to Owen Oseni or Aribim Pepple, but I don't think either are at the level to take over from Tolaj if he was get injured.

"I think a strike force of Tolaj and Hardie would be lethal in League One.

"They both work incredibly hard, they both score goals, and I think it could work, so I hope it happens.

"It's possibly unlikely, but I'd like to think that, if it's just a three-month stepping stone for Ryan Hardie to get some football under his belt before he may move on in the summer permanently to a different club, it would still be a great move for Argyle to offer him that opportunity.

"I hope it's something that Ryan would want to do because I'm pretty sure the club and fans would be more than happy for him to come and help us get out of the predicament we're currently in."

Plymouth Argyle could face double Ryan Hardie stumbling block in January

There is no doubt that the signing of Hardie would be a real coup for Plymouth if they could strike a deal in January, and he would form an excellent partnership with Lorent Tolaj, who has hit nine goals in 16 games since his summer move from Port Vale.

While Tolaj has been in sensational form since arriving at Home Park, Owen Oseni and Aribim Pepple have found life with the Pilgrims much tougher, scoring just seven goals between them in all competitions, so Cleverley could certainly do with the extra firepower Hardie would provide.

However, with Argyle sitting in the relegation zone in League One as things stand, it remains to be seen whether Hardie would be willing to return to Home Park in the current circumstances, particularly as he could have more attractive options on the table if he was to leave Wrexham in January.

Hardie reached double figures for goals in each of his two seasons with Plymouth in the Championship, so despite his struggles with the Red Dragons this campaign, there may still be second tier clubs who are willing to take a chance on him, which would be a further blow for his former employers.