Plymouth Argyle in "full control" but Lorent Tolaj transfer blow looms | OneFootball

FLW's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit has given his reaction to the news that striker Lorent Tolaj does not have a release clause in his contract.

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...

It is fair to say that it has been a mixed first season back in League One for Plymouth Argyle.

After their relegation from the Championship, Plymouth were billed as one of the promotion favourites at the start of the season, but they were languishing in the relegation zone as recently as early January following a nightmare first half of the campaign.

Despite pressure from supporters to make a change, the Pilgrims stuck with head coach Tom Cleverley during their challenging period, and their faith has certainly been rewarded, with the Devon outfit currently sitting 12th in the table after a much-improved run of form, just six points from the play-off places.

While it has been a turbulent season for Argyle, one player who has been a consistent performer throughout the campaign is striker Lorent Tolaj, who joined the club from Port Vale in the summer for a fee of £1.2 million.

Tolaj scored 15 goals for the Valiants last season as they won automatic promotion from League Two, and his fine form has continued in the third tier, with the 24-year-old netting 15 goals in 27 appearances for Plymouth so far.

As Tolaj continues to shine at Home Park, the Pilgrims may be concerned about the prospect of losing him in the summer, but Cleverley reportedly revealed at a fan forum this week that he does not have a release clause in his contract.

When asked for his reaction to the update on Tolaj's contract, FLW's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit Luke Hodge claimed that it puts the club in a stronger negotiating position when it comes to the striker's future, but he admitted that he still expects him to depart Home Park in the summer.

"If it is true that he's got no release clause, that's brilliant news for us," Luke told FLW.

"It puts Argyle in full control because there's no fixed buy-out, any interested club now has to pay true market value or even above, which strengthens our hand and could spark a bidding war, especially if he continues with his form.

"It buys us time and leverage, we can set the pace.

"We could sell early for a premium or hold out until later in the window and squeeze the market or simply wait for the right package without being undercut by a clause.

"To be fair, it does reflect smart planning.

"If we maximise the fee and reinvest wisely into the squad, that's sustainable progress.

"Will he stay next season? No.

"Irrespective of the clause, I don't see him renewing his contract with us.

"Even though he seems very happy here, he's ambitious, he's only 24.

"He's gone from Aldershot to Port Vale to Argyle, and he's clearly destined to play at a higher level.

"His trajectory is continuing to go up, and his performances will have alerted clubs abroad and across higher leagues in England, I have no doubt about that.

"Personally, I see him in the Championship next season, and it would be great if it was with us, but more likely it will be elsewhere.

"As long as Argyle secure the best possible fee and reinvest it back in the squad, I don't think you can really ask much more than that."

Plymouth Argyle can retain Lorent Tolaj this summer on one clear condition

With Tolaj already under contract at Home Park until 2029, the fact that his deal does not contain a release clause strengthens Plymouth's hand even further, but they will likely still face a battle to hold onto him this summer.

Tolaj is well on course to reach the 20-goal mark this season, and his form will not have gone unnoticed by clubs from higher divisions or abroad, so the Pilgrims may need to brace for multiple bids for their star man when the window opens.

While the recent improved form of Aribim Pepple and Owen Oseni has reduced Argyle's reliance on Tolaj, they will certainly not want to lose him, but if he was to depart, his contract situation means the club would at least be able to demand a significant fee.

If Plymouth are to have any chance of retaining Tolaj, they may need to achieve promotion to the Championship this season, and there is a growing confidence at Home Park that a late play-off push could be on the cards.