Plymouth midfielder Graham Carey has been heavily linked with a move to Burton Albion this summer following the completion of his contract with Plymouth.
The Pilgrims were relegated in a dire season, with Carey not as effective as he was last campaign. He still scored six goals, but the season before he had a hand in almost 30, making him hot property.
This summer his stock has fallen somewhat but a move to Burton might not be the best for him. If the 30-year-old wants to stay in League One, it might be wise to play the waiting game.
However, it might also be worth him holding fire for a day or two and waiting to see if Plymouth announce their new manager this week. If, as expected, they go for Ryan Lowe than Carey would be wise to start chatting to the Pilgrims hierarchy about a new deal.
Lowe plays a passing game, pretty on the eye and with an emphasis on those attacking midfielders. Last season it was Danny Mayor and Jay O’Shea, but for Plymouth it could be Carey. Whilst a quick payday might be on his mind, if he’s not as focused on money then the Pilgrims will surely be a League Two title contender under Lowe.
If it is money he wants, then surely a move to Burton isn’t the right switch either? They’re a decent side, but they’re unlikely to be top two in League One and when it comes to wages, they won’t be paying as much as some of their rivals.
Jumping into a move this early on is foolish, whatever Carey wants to do. Some big hitters have barely started their recruitment and if he remains a free agent for a couple of weeks, some of those clubs might miss out on their top targets and turn to the Scottish playmaker.
Caution is by far the best option here. The summer is young and with the greatest of respect to the Brewers, a move to Burton would have seemed crazy to Carey 12 months ago. He hasn’t become a bad player, but he did fail to light up a struggling team.
There are bound to be better options revealed as the summer draws on and he’ll kick himself if he commits too early to a move he later regrets.