Following Tuesday’s announcement that Plymouth Argyle centre-back Niall Canavan had joined Bradford City for an undisclosed fee, Pilgrims’ boss Ryan Lowe is left with little depth in that department.
With the club’s captain Gary Sawyer absent from the side since September, when he suffered an ankle injury in the EFL Trophy, the only central defenders at the club are Will Aimson, Scott Wootton and loanees Kell Watts and Jerome Opoku.
With Lowe preferring to play a 5-3-2 formation, the manager admitted to Plymouth Live that there is ‘potential for new additions’.
That being said, here are a few names Lowe could be looking at for the Pilgrims’ backline.
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Ben Tozer
The Plymouth born Cheltenham Town player is the man most wanted by the Green Army, with his experience deemed the solution to Argyle’s defensive woes this season.
Tozer is used to playing in Lowe’s system, with the Robins also opting to play three in the heart of their defence.
The defender has shown strong leadership qualities, being trusted to captain his side on several occasions this season - including Cheltenham’s EFL Trophy fixture against Argyle.
The 30-year-old has played every minute in League Two for Cheltenham this season, providing two goals and four assists in all competitions.
With just six months remaining on his current contract, could a move to a club closer to his family in Devon be on Tozer’s radar?
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Adam Thompson
Thompson will be very well known to Lowe as the current Pilgrims’ boss played with and managed the defender while at Bury.
He was an ever-present in the Liverpudlian’s side, making 44 appearances for the Shakers as they fought their way out of League Two - despite the appalling events that surrounded the club.
The 28-year-old left Gigg Lane at the end of the season and has been on Rotherham United’s books ever since.
Thompson managed just nine starts for his new club in League One and with the Millers regaining their Championship status this season, the Watford academy graduate has not played a minute of football in all competitions.
With his contract expiring this summer, could reuniting with Lowe on the South Coast kick-start the central defender’s playing career again?
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Charlie Goode
While this is probably the most unlikely of the three after Brentford announced on Thursday that Pontus Jansson will be side-lined with an ankle injury, it has to be said that Goode is bottom of the pecking order at his new club - only managing three starts for the Bees.
Goode has missed most of the season so far with an unspecified illness but has recently returned to action, playing the full 90 against Reading as the Bees were without starting defenders Jansson and Ethan Pinnock.
Goode was left out of the squad for the following league fixtures and also their Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Tottenham Hotspur, though, he made a late substitute appearance in the FA Cup on Saturday.
While this season hasn’t proved to be a success for Goode, he will look back at last season - when the now-25-year-old captained Northampton Town as they secured promotion to League One - with a fondness.
His performances throughout the campaign saw him named in the League Two team of the season and earn a summer move to the Championship.