After a terrible start to the season, things in Plymouth have improved dramatically in recent months, with the Pilgrims now well within reach of the top six following an excellent 5-2 home victory over League One leaders Cardiff City.

After a dismal start at Home Park, Plymouth owner Simon Hallett could have easily sacked head coach Tom Cleverley, but he chose to endure.

Cleverley was brought in following his expulsion from Championship side Watford, after former Bosnian manager Miron Muslic unexpectedly left Devon for German club Schalke in the summer.

It was far from ideal for Plymouth, who were left scrambling for a replacement, at which point they settled on Cleverley, and while his start with the Pilgrims was rocky, to say the least, their improvement in form and performance deserves a lot of credit from everyone involved.

One particular player has experienced a significant metamorphosis and confidence boost in front of goal, sparking speculation about a potential summer transfer from teams in the division above and overseas.

Aribim Pepple has received interest from teams in the Championship and Turkey.

Aribim Pepple, a Canadian striker, has been connected with a move to Turkish side Goztepe, as well as multiple other nameless sides in the EFL Championship and around Europe, in a turn of events that practically no Plymouth supporter would have expected a few months ago.

Aside from the last month or so, Pepple has never been prolific in his career, having moved to England from his native Canada in the summer of 2022 and spending time on loan with Grimsby Town, Bromley, Inverness, Southend United, and Chesterfield before making the permanent move to Plymouth this summer.

Pepple, who was signed with Lorent Tolaj, had deputised for the Swiss forward for much of the season until an injury to Tolaj resulted in an opportunity for the Canadian in the starting lineup, which he seized.

Pepple had eight goals and two assists in his last 12 league games, and he recently began alongside Tolaj up front as Plymouth defeated Cardiff 5–0 in their most recent match, maybe the start of a legendary partnership at Home Park.

His success has led to links with Goztepe, who share ownership with Championship side Southampton, something that even the most delusional of Plymouth fans could not have expected a few months back.

While the Pilgrims do not want Pepple to go, their interest in him can only be a good thing, and the club hopes the 23-year-old will use it as motivation to keep his goal scoring form going.

With the Canadian having only recently established his footing in the third tier, the jump to the Championship or the Turkish top flight may be too much too soon, though his performances are undoubtedly improving, which is a positive indication for both Pepple and Plymouth.

Tom Cleverley deserves a great deal of credit for Aribim Pepple’s increase in form.

Few persons, aside from Pepple, deserve more credit for the Canadian’s fresh lease on life than head coach Cleverley.

At one point, it appeared that the former Manchester United and Everton midfielder might be fired from his position as manager, but the choice to keep him has paid off.

Plymouth has scored 12 goals in their last three league games alone, with Pepple directly contributing to four of them, indicating that Argyle is currently full of confidence.

Cleverley will be enjoying life in Devon right now, and he will almost certainly be aiming for a top six finish. If Pepple continues to score goals, Plymouth has no excuse to miss out on the play-offs this season.