League One leaders Plymouth Argyle have been dealt a major blow after star attacker Morgan Whittaker was recalled by Swansea City.
The Pilgrims had feared losing the nine-goal 21-year-old at the start of January, with the Swans having a narrow window to bring him back and the Championship club’s boss, Russell Martin, openly discussing the possibility of a return.
And that is what has come to pass, with Whittaker recalled this evening despite the player understood to be desperate to remain with the League One leaders for the rest of the season.
Ipswich Town have shown interest in a move for the attacker, heading into the January window, but it is not clear what impact Whittaker’s recall will have on any potential move from the Blues.
Whittaker is understood to have a string of suitors, ranging from clubs at the bottom end of the Premier League through to Ipswich at the top of the third tier.
It’s understood there is no move, to any club, close at this stage.
It’s thought Whittaker will likely find gametime difficult to come by at Swansea, due to significant traffic in his position at the Championship club.
Reacting to news of his recall, Whittaker wrote on Instagram: "I just wanted to say a huge thank you to the fans, the players and the staff at @argyle.
"This club is so special to me and some of my best moments of my career happened here.
"I am devastated that I could not continue here for the whole season, but I hope the pilgrims go and get promotion, because they deserve it. We will be supporting from afar, up the argyle 💚."
Following Whittaker’s recall, Argyle director of football Neil Dewsnip: “We are obviously disappointed that Morgan’s loan has been cut short.
“He was enjoying his football tremendously and we felt we were providing the best possible environment for him to develop and contribute.
“We did everything we could to retain Morgan for the duration of the loan as initially agreed, but it was not to be.
“Morgan loved his football here, which is a testament to [manager] Steven Schumacher and the club as a whole for our approach to player care and we hope he can continue to build on the promise he has shown here.
“The recruitment department at the club plans for any eventuality and we are already well under way with our January operations, as is clear by the additions of Ben Waine and Saxon Earley.
“Argyle is an exciting club to play for right now and a brilliant place for talented young players to come and improve, as Morgan has evidenced.
“We are confident that, thanks to the backing of the board, our additions in January will ensure that we are not knocked off course by the disappointing loss of Morgan.”
Discussing Whittaker yesterday, Martin said: “The ownership group have an opinion on that (Whittaker’s future). Josh (Marsh, Swansea's head of football operations) and Julian (Winter, chief executive) have an opinion on that with Morgan.
"It has to be imminent because the clause in the loan, or whatever it is, is imminent. I don't know where that's at at the minute, there has been a lot of conversation about it.
"If he comes back he will be welcomed back into the group. He wants to play where he has been playing at Plymouth, which is probably the most competitive position on the pitch for us with Olivier Ntcham, Luke Cundle, Oli Cooper, Jay Fulton, Joel Piroe when he plays there.
"So I think it's a really tough position to get in, but if he does come back he comes back with the mentality that he wants to fight and get in the team, and then we will just have to take it from there.
"I don't have a definitive answer for you on that and I'm sure I will get told in the next, well probably this evening I would have thought, and if not it will be tomorrow.
"He has done brilliantly, really well. If he comes back hopefully he can build on that momentum and see where it takes him here.
"He's our asset, he's the club asset and there is a bigger picture in terms of what Josh and Julian see in terms of his value, in terms of what he might be able to add here, and all that stuff. We will just have to wait and see. I'm quite relaxed about it either way."
Town play Plymouth at Portman Road on January 14.
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