Head coach Miron Muslic has declared he is 'very confident' with the Plymouth Argyle squad he has to work with now the winter transfer window has closed.

Muslic believes competition for places is hotting up as the Pilgrims fight to stay in the Championship. They are currently bottom of the table but spirits have been lifted after a 2-2 draw away to Sunderland was followed by a 2-1 win against West Bromwich Albion at Home Park last Saturday.

The transfer window closed on Monday night and shortly before the deadline Argyle brought in defensive midfielder Malachi Boateng for an undisclosed fee from Scottish Premiership side Hearts.

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His arrival came after the double signing of defenders Maksym Talovierov and Nikola Katic last Friday. Prior to that, the Pilgrims had added Michael Baidoo and Tymoteusz Puchacz to their squad, while six players had moved on, most notably Lewis Gibson to Preston North End and Morgan Whittaker in a club record £6 million transfer to Middlesbrough.

Muslic said at a Press conference this lunchtime: "I had today 26 players on the pitch so everyone available, everyone ready, everyone pushing. The competition is on.

"Finally the transfer window is closed so this is the squad we have. We are very confident in this squad and some players are realising the competition is there. We can only benefit from this.

"If the players are giving me a headache because I don't really know who to put in the squad because they all deserve it then I know we are in a good way, and I think right now this is the case."

Boateng, 22, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract and adds to Argyle's central midfield options, which also include Jordan Houghton, Adam Randell and Darko Gyabi.

Muslic said: "I'm very happy with his signing. He fits just perfectly with his profile to the way we want to play. He can add the missing link we had over there in the centre mid. He's athletic, tall, good on the ball and can also be very aggressive out of possession."

Argyle made attempts to sign a striker on transfer deadline day, with a proposed loan move Mason Burstow from 21st-placed Hull City reportedly blocked by their boss Ruben Selles because he did not want him joining a team in the same area of the table as them.

While not commenting directly on that, Muslic insisted he had not been frustrated about only adding Boateng to his squad on Monday. He said: "I'm never frustrated. It's not about signing players it's about signing the right players. I'm super confident in the squad we have, I'm super happy with our squad.

"Everybody is pushing and I think the last two results have been so important for us because now we believe. If the players believe the way we prepare them makes sense because we can be competitive and we can collect points, they naturally go fully. So I'm very much confident in my squad and we will challenge everything in front of us."

Muslic was asked about the possibility of signing a striker as a free agent, in the same way that Argyle did earlier this season when Andre Gray was brought in after the summer transfer window closed. He replied: "Every team in Europe is looking for a striker. Not every team in Europe signed a striker. We have been looking for some different profiles but in the end it has to match and it has to fit.

"If I don't have the feeling this potential player is the right fit then I will leave my hands from this. Then I rely on the guys who are here, and they show me in the last 10-12 days that we can rely on them."

Argyle have three out-and-out strikers in Ryan Hardie as well as loan signings Michael Obafemi and Muhamed Tijani, but Muslic believes Mustapha Bundu can also be used up front, and not just in attacking roles out wide or playing off a forward.

Muslic said: "I like his versatility. In his past he has been a right winger. I can see him inverted and I can also see him as a number nine because he's physical, he's fast and he's hard to defend."

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