Issaka signs long-term deal at Argyle

Plymouth Argyle youngster Freddie Issaka has put pen to paper on a new deal, which will extend his contract with the Championship club.

The deal will begin when Issaka turns 18 next months and means the highly-rated forward is under contract at Home Park until 2028.

Truro-born Issaka became the club’s youngest-ever player in 2021, just 34 days after his 15th birthday, when he came on a substitute in an EFL Trophy game against Newport County.

Since then, he has played 16 times for Argyle’s first team, two of those being starts, against Leyton Orient in last season’s Carabao Cup first round, and then in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup, against Sutton United.

Truro-born Freddie signed his first professional contract on his 17th birthday and, as well as featuring in many match day squads for the first team, played a significant part in the Argyle Under-18s’ success in 2023/24, as they won both the Youth Alliance and Merit Leagues.

“It's a really exciting time for me and a massive honour,” Freddie said. “I think it shows a lot of trust from the club to want to keep me on for that long. It's time for me to show that I owe it to the club, I deserve it and I've earned it. It’s time to work hard.

“I think it is a massive achievement and a big step in my career, which I'm very proud of, but it also means that I can focus a lot on football.

“Sometimes you can find yourself thinking about what's going to happen next, but I've got a bit of breathing space, a time where I can crack down and focus on trying to get myself in the team and the squad.”

Now, he will come until the watchful eye of one of English football’s greatest strikers, boss Wayne Rooney, who has already spoken to him and his role at the club moving forward.

“He spoke to the whole team and said how he'll be honest with everyone, and wants us to push on and win as much as we can,” added Issaka. “It shows that he's here to help us and make sure that we do everything correctly.

“He’s spoken to me one-on-one saying that he's always there to help me, which is good to hear. I'll definitely try to ask questions and do everything I can to learn from such an icon of the game. He's been really supportive, and it looks like he will be the whole time.”

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