Plymouth Argyle boss Ryan Lowe has told potential suitors to forget about making a January move for star striker Luke Jephcott.

The Wales under-21 international has been a real success story of the Argyle academy after linking up with the Devon club as a 15-year-old.

After a successful loan at non-league Truro City, Jephcott was brought into the Plymouth first team by Lowe at the start of 2020, and he repaid the faith by notching seven goals in 14 games before the EFL curtailed the League Two season.

That success in-front of goal has extended into the current campaign, and the step up to League One has been no issue for 20-year-old Jephcott, as two goals against Charlton Athletic yesterday took his tally to 12 goals in all competitions in 18 games.

With the form he's showing, Jephcott could potentially interest other clubs in January, some of whom will be lacking an edge in the final third and need a goalscorer to turn their fortunes around.

But that will not be happening on Lowe's watch, who has issued a hands-off warning to anyone interested in the Aberyswyth-born hitman.

"Luke is in no rush to go anywhere, we are no in rush to let him leave. He has still got a lot of learning to do," Lowe told the Plymouth Herald.

"Anyone who rings up, the phone will be getting put down because we don’t need to sell.

"If they want to ring at the end of the season after he has scored 25 goals it will probably cost them £3.5 million.

"It’s whether anyone has got £3.5m at the moment. Honestly, we are not even looking into that, we haven’t even thought of it."

The Verdict

It's interesting to see that Lowe has warned clubs off, yet was wondering if clubs had the price-tag he suggested 'at the moment' - that seems to indicate that Jephcott definitely not leaving is a sure thing.

Plymouth seem like they're a well-run club and may not be suffering from the financial challenges that many others are, but a big bid in January may be tough to turn down, and it may end up turning Jephcott's head.

But Lowe has been pretty bullish in his statement and if he sticks by his word, Jephcott could be firing in the goals that potentially lead Plymouth to the play-offs this season.