"We knew the worst was coming" - Plymouth Argyle: Finn Azaz regret stressed | OneFootball

Still one of the league's most fearsome playmakers, Plymouth fans may only look on as Azaz continues his meteoric rise within the English game.

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…

A common side effect of supporting a club in the Football League is being forced to say goodbye to your favourite talents all too soon.

Plymouth Argyle are a club particularly susceptible to this. The arduous task of sharing a division with clubs whose finances completely dwarf their own, means it is exceedingly difficult to retain a player who shines beyond the norm.

Owner and chairman, Simon Hallett, has done a fairly good job of keeping the squad intact and capable of competing at Championship level, with the likes of Morgan Whittaker in particular garnering interest from above.

However, as is the case for most EFL clubs, the clubs size and financial means dictate that certain stars have simply been impossible to retain.

'We let Azaz slip through our fingers' - Plymouth view

When asked whether there was a player Plymouth had allowed to leave the club too early, FLW Pilgrims fan pundit, Chris, spoke of two once beloved alumni, both of whom left Home Park within the last calendar year.

"Plymouth Argyle's recent history shows that we have been overcautious when it comes to selling players, hoping to try and get as much value as possible as we can.

"It's not very often that we put players on the transfer market, but more that we find bigger clubs are interested, and with the players intentions of wanting to leave, we are forced into making sales.

"Such as the move for Michael Cooper; when offering him one of the highest contracts Argyle have ever given, he still turned it down to look for another club, such as Sheffield United.

"I can't think of many instances whereby we have sold a player too eagerly or too early. However, there are several opportunities which I believe the club let slip through their fingers when these examples of big clubs coming in have taken hold.

"The main one for me would be Finn Azaz, when he left to join Middlesbrough on a £2.5 million fee. This was a big blow for Argyle at the time as we were making our push-up the table in the Championship, and he provided a pivotal midfield role.

"At the time, he was on his second loan spell with the club, and we were eager to keep him as much as possible, with many fans crying for Argyle to make a bid for him.

"When we heard the rumours that Aston Villa were looking to recall him from his loan, we knew the worst was coming, and we were hoping that our owner, Simon Hallett, as well as back room staff, were pushing to get a bid in.

"However, it looks like we weren't able to match the £2.5m valuation that Middlesbrough were able to offer, not to mention the wages, and therefore, we let Azaz slip through our fingers.

"He has since gone on to make several international appearances for the Republic of Ireland, as well as proving to be one of the top playmakers in the Championship so far.

"I believe that if we were able to muster a bit more cash, we would have been able to put in a sensible bid, and therefore, hopefully, been able to have kept his services."

Despite the old cliché 'never fall in love with a loan player' is somewhat understandable in this instance, as Azaz played 67 times in 18 months for the Green Army, feeling very much like a part of the furniture upon his departure.

Finn Azaz' time at Plymouth Argyle

24-year-old Azaz is perhaps one of the best examples of a player who has utilised their EFL loans the best.

Working his way up the divisions, the man from Westminster, who was bought by Aston Villa from West Brom three years ago, enjoyed successful stints at League Two sides Cheltenham Town and Newport County before joining Plymouth in the third-tier in 2022.

Azaz had an immediate impact in Devon, imperative to the side's eventual promotion in his debut campaign. Azaz provided eight goals and nine assists in 34 games as they claimed the League One title.

Despite not playing at the level before, his output only improved in the Championship. The Ireland international accumulated 12 goal involvements by the turn of the new year.

His form prompted a recall from his parent club, as Villa opted to cash in on their asset, now one of the Championship's brightest, having already agreed a deal worth £2.5m from Middlesbrough.

Still one of the league's most fearsome playmakers, Plymouth fans may only look on as Azaz continues his meteoric rise within the English game.

Undoubtedly available for purchase, the presumed asking price of £2.5m would have far exceeded the transfer record of Wayne Rooney's side, but with relegation a realistic threat, and chance creation a clear issue, will this decision not to fork out the cash and keep Azaz continue to haunt the Pilgrims year-on-year?