Caleb Roberts and Tegan Finn could save Plymouth Argyle millions in transfer fees | OneFootball

The young Pilgrims duo could become first-team regulars in the future, with both showing their quality this season

Plymouth Argyle are in the process of building a multi-million pound sports centre in the city, with the new Foulston Park site set to be the home of the Argyle Academy, as well as Plymouth Argyle Women and the Plymouth Argyle Community Trust.

The reported £23 million investment will see the next generation of Green talent be able to perform in the centre of excellence, with the hope that Argyle can provide even more stars of the future to make their way into the first-team in the years to come.

Adam Randell and Mike Cooper have been two success stories over recent years, with the former patrolling the midfield in the Championship over the past two seasons, while the latter set sail for Sheffield United at the start of the campaign, having worked his way up to becoming a regular between the sticks at Home Park before his departure.

Having a homegrown talent can be important for those in the stands, with the link between the city and those on the pitch emanating through the local lad, while the chance to save or earn a pretty penny from homegrown talents will always be savoured by any football club who are trying to be run sustainably as Argyle are.

With that in mind, here we take a look at two of the hottest prospects currently aiming to make the step up from youth team to first-team, with one player already making a name for himself at the start of 2025.

Caleb Roberts

While it has so often been Freddie Issaka who is touted as the next talent to make the step up into becoming a regular for Argyle of late, his fellow Welsh youth International Caleb Roberts has been going somewhat under the radar in his attempts at earning a spot in the match day squad.

After numerous cameos in cup competitions since signing his first professional deal with the club back in October 2022, Roberts finally made his first league start in a 3-0 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road back in November, although he likely wouldn’t have thanked Wayne Rooney for throwing him to the wolves in one of the most one-sided league games in Championship history.

Substitute appearances against Norwich City, Bristol City and Oxford United have followed, before the midfielder took the bull by the horns in the Pilgrims’ recent 1-0 victory over Brentford in the FA Cup, as he proved just how much potential he has in making his career a successful one in the years to come.

The 20-year-old was a bundle of energy in his role next to Randell in the midfield, and played a huge part in keeping the Premier League side quiet across the 90 minutes, with Morgan Whittaker nabbing a late winner at the other end to send the Devonians into delirium in West London.

With a contract that currently runs until the summer of 2026, Argyle will be hoping they can see those sorts of performances on a more regular basis over the next 18 months, as he looks to edge his way into Miron Muslic’s plans after the Austrian’s arrival at the Theatre of Greens.

After rave reviews from his performances in pre-season, an injury back in the summer has somewhat slowed his progress in the current campaign, but his latest outing has proven he is up for the challenge of fighting for a place at his boyhood club, and could become a regular next to Randell in the midfield before too long.

Tegan Finn

Tegan Finn is one of the latest young Pilgrims to make his way into the first-team squad, with the 16-year-old handed his debut by Rooney in that infamous trip to Elland Road, where the visitors failed to muster a single shot on goal throughout the 90 minutes.

That appearance in Yorkshire made him the sixth youngest debutant in Argyle’s history at just 16 years and 230 days, and proves just how highly he is thought of by the club at such a tender age.

A first start followed on Boxing Day against Coventry City, with the teenager thrown into the mix after an injury crisis at the club left Argyle with limited options in attacking areas.

While the 4-0 humbling would have been something of a baptism of fire for the academy graduate, there was plenty of promise in his performance that will have offered hope for a bright future, with a mazy run and effort from the edge of the area one of few bright moments against the Sky Blues that day.