Wayne Rooney signs forgotten striker with over 100 Premier League appearances who married popstar
Wayne Rooney has signed a brand new striker for Plymouth Argyle and fans might recognise him.
Argyle have won three of their opening nine Championship games, beating Sunderland in an EFL classic, Premier League relegated Luton Town and then stunning Blackburn with a last-gasp winner.
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Saturday's 2-1 win over Rovers was the perfect way to bounce back from their previous defeat to Burnley, as they failed to hit the net in a 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor.
The Devonshire outside also suffered a blow in recent weeks with 24-year-old Nigerian striker Muhamed Tijani suffering an injury in training.
Tijani is on a season-long loan from Czech side Slavia Prague and had originally returned to the first-team after groin and hamstring injuries.
But now the striker, who has only played three times this season, is likely to be out until the New Year.
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Up steps Andre Gray, the man signed to replace him.
Gray was a free agent following an unsettling time with his last club, Saudi Pro League side Al-Riyadh.
The Jamaica international has made over 100 Premier League appearances, scoring 23 goals and assisting seven during his time there.
Argyle have signed the former Watford and Burnley striker - although he was not available for Saturday's home game against Blackburn Rovers.
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The 33-year-old Gray will wear the no.19 for Rooney’s side and will hope the Devon coast can provide a nicer environment for wife Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
The pair went through a long-distance marriage during Gray’s time in Saudi Arabia as the Little Mix star focused on her solo career.
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There will be some competition for Gray ahead of his new challenge with Plymouth, who boast exciting attacker Morgan Whittaker among their ranks.
Whittaker scored the winner against Blackburn and Rooney sung his praises on Drive despite letting the player leave when in charge of Derby.
"I sold him!" he told talkSPORT Drive, breaking out into a laugh with co-hosts Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent. "No, Morgan is a fantastic lad.
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"[Derby] were in administration, so we had no option but to sell him and he went to Swansea. The one thing I said to Morgan at the time was, on the ball he's fantastic, he scores some fantastic goals.
"The next step now is his overall game, this season that's something we've really worked on and he's been fantastic. His work rate, his effort to get back and help the team out alongside his quality he brings with his match winner, he's such an important player for us.
"The reason I leave him on the pitch every game is because he has moments, like you could see on Saturday, he has those moments, 97th minute and he wins us the game.
"Delighted to keep him, he showed a real willingness to stay at the football club, and we're delighted to have him."
Gray’s career began at Shrewsbury Town, before his career accelerated in the 2011/12 season, during a loan move at Luton Town when he scored five goals in nine games.
After securing a permanent move to the Hatters, Gray would go on to score 57 times in 111 National League appearances before moving to Championship side Brentford.
Gray excelled in his first season at Brentford, scoring 18 goals, which opened up a move to Burnley.
His 23 goals helped the Clarets gain promotion to the Premier League in the 2015/16 season.
After that, Gray signed for Watford, where he would become a Premier League regular over the following three seasons.
He made 83 appearances, mostly as a substitute, but scored only 14 goals at the club he has made the most appearances for.
Gray moved to Cyprus club Aris for the 2022/23 season and played in the UEFA Europa Conference League before his move to Saudi Arabia.
Argyle beat Blackburn 2-1 on Saturday in a dramatic match which saw Rooney sent to the stands.
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But the game came too soon for Gray who was not granted international clearance in time.
The veteran frontman could be set instead to make his Argyle debut in their next match away to Cardiff.
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