Plymouth Argyle backed to seal 'sensible' QPR transfer | OneFootball

FLW's Plymouth fan pundit has given his verdict on the club's interest in signing Murphy Cooper

Plymouth Argyle had a positive end to the League One campaign as they narrowly missed out on a play-off place.

The Pilgrims struggled for form in the first half of the season, with pressure mounting on Tom Cleverley’s position as head coach.

But the team were able to climb the third tier over the last few months, and ultimately ended up in eighth place on the final day, just two points behind sixth place Stevenage.

The Devon outfit will now turn their attention to the summer transfer window in a bid to improve the squad for another promotion push in 2027.

The club have been linked with a potential deal for goalkeeper Murphy Cooper, who spent the second half of this season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from QPR.

However, Plymouth face competition from League One rivals MK Dons, who gained promotion from League Two.

Murphy Cooper deal would be good business for Plymouth

When asked about a potential deal to sign Cooper, FLW’s Plymouth fan pundit Luke Hodge claimed that a move for the goalkeeper makes a lot of sense with the exit of Luca Ashby-Hammond, as well as the uncertainty surrounding Conor Hazard’s future.

He believes that targeting a young player with Championship experience would be a smart way to start the rebuild on their options between the sticks, making him a sensible target for the summer.

“Well I’d be lying if I knew a lot about Murphy Cooper, but since this rumour circulated a couple of days ago, like many people, I’ve done a little bit of research and one of the most positive things I found were the comments and responses from fans at Sheffield Wednesday,” Hodge told Football League World.

“I think they’re also keen on signing him and there’s a lot of positivity from them.

“So, I’d be interested in Murphy Cooper, especially with Ashby-Hammond being released.

“Haz is not expected to sign a new deal, and we’re basically starting from scratch in goal.

“That makes a young goalkeeper with recent Championship experience like Cooper a very sensible target.”

Hodge has raised some concerns about Cooper’s overall ability, but believes he still has room to grow and develop as a player at the age of 24, but is certain that he has the potential to be a very positive signing if they can bring him to Home Park.

“He’s only 24-years-old, spent the second half of last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, where he had eight appearances in the Championship,” he added.

“I think he had a couple of first team appearances when he was really young at QPR back in 22, but it totally fits.

“We need bodies at Argyle, and competition in that position urgently.

“And although Cooper is still young at 24-years-old, there’s development potential there, and he’s shown he can handle second tier football recently, and would come in at a relatively, I would imagine, low cost — a loan or a modest fee.

“He’s athletic, decent shot-stopper and the exact kind of profile we should be looking at rebuilding the squad with.

“His experience is still very limited at this level though, and there have been question marks on occasions around commanding his area and decision-making, so there’s every chance he wouldn’t necessarily walk straight in as an undisputed number one.

“But he’d give us vital depth and a genuine challenger for the glove.

“But overall it feels like smart business for where we are.

“If the deal is right, I back it 100 per cent, solid young keeper to build around, or at least compete with, makes far more sense than us scrambling for loan options later.”

It has been claimed that Plymouth and MK Dons are currently seeking a permanent deal for Cooper, but a loan could still be a possibility.

It remains to be seen what kind of fee it will take to convince QPR to cash in on the shot-stopper.

The 24-year-old made eight appearances in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday, who finished bottom of the table under Henrik Pedersen.

He previously spent time on loan with Swindon Town, Stevenage and Barnsley, where he gained experience in League Two and League One.

Cooper has played 58 times in the third division in total, but has been unable to break into Julien Stéphan’s first team plans at Loftus Road despite impressing on loan.

Murphy Cooper signing has potential for Plymouth

Losing Ashby-Hammond and potentially Hazard in one summer would necessitate at least one goalkeeper signing being made.

Cooper could be a smart piece of business to solve this issue, as he’s shown in the past he can compete at a Championship and League One level.

Given he isn’t in the frame for first team football at QPR, he could also be available at a reasonable cost on a permanent basis.

And as he is still only 24, he is someone that could retain a positive resale value for Plymouth in the long-run, and possibly even increase his value if he can perform well and help Cleverley’s side gain promotion back to the second tier.