First team coach Kevin Nancekivell believes the work developing players at Plymouth Argyle has been highlighted by the transfer of defender Lewis Gibson to Championship rivals Preston North End.

Gibson, 24, completed his move to Preston on Friday, on a contract until the summer of 2028 and for a fee which Plymouth Live understands is over £1.5 million.

For a player who joined the Pilgrims for no fee at all in the summer of 2023 after leaving Premier League club Everton that represents an excellent piece of business.

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It is also an example of the player trading model that Argyle are looking to follow where they sign promising young players, develop them and then sell them for significant sums of money.

Bali Mumba and Morgan Whittaker cost £1m club record transfer fees in July 2023, with a view to potentially making a substantial profit on them at some point in the future.

Nancekivell said about Gibson: "I think Lewis has been outstanding for us. As a person he has become one of our family and become close to a lot of people at the club, players and staff.

"I think it's a credit to everybody at the football club that we are developing players. We are not always developing them for a long period of time and we couldn't keep Lewis for 10 years as we would all liked to, but we got him on a fee of nothing as a young player, we developed him and he has progressed so well.

"We have ended up selling him for some money so that's not to be sneezed at and we should be proud of that. I think that goes to show what the development and the work of all the staff at the football club are all about."

Gibson made a total of 59 starts and four substitute appearances for Argyle, and scored one goal, after joining them from Everton, and he captained the team on a number of occasions this season.

In a post on Instagram, he said: "To everyone @only1argyle thank you for your continued support over the past 18 months. Something my family and I will be forever grateful for. It was an honour to be able to captain such an amazing club. All the best for the future. I wish you nothing but success."

Argyle are clearly in the market for a new centre-back after the transfer of Gibson and one player they have been linked with is Wycombe Wanderers and Wales international defender Joe Low. The 22-year-old has started all 24 League One games this season for the Buckinghamshire club who are currently in second position, two points behind leaders Birmingham City.

Pete O'Rourke, transfer correspondent for Football Insider, posted on X last night: "Understand Plymouth have made a bid for Wycombe Wanderers defender Joe Low. Swansea also made a bid for Low earlier in the window and several other clubs are also weighing up moves for the Welshman."

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield spoke about Low's future after his side's 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool on Saturday. "He' a very good player, he’s our player and I’m pleased with him as he works very hard," said Bloomfield.

“We have had him for 18 months or so and we brought him in as a free transfer (from Bristol City). At that point, it was decided that he was not good enough for the Championship.

"We took him and we believe in him and we have nurtured him. He’s an incredible young man who is destined to go onto better things, and we are proud of him."

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