Plymouth Argyle manager Tom Cleverley says he intends to work closely with new striker Will Evans to sharpen his finishing after the 29-year-old missed several chances on his debut. Evans joined Home Park earlier this month from Mansfield Town on a two-year contract with the option of a further year, and featured in Plymouth's 2-0 Carabao Cup first-round win over Exeter City.
According to Plymouth's official club statement, Evans is the seventh signing of the summer window, and the club has confirmed his move from Mansfield Town on a two-year deal with a club option for an additional year. His debut arrived in the Carabao Cup tie against Exeter City, a game Plymouth won 2-0 despite Evans failing to convert a number of promising openings.
How did the game against Exeter City unfold?
Plymouth dominated for long spells but were unable to make the breakthrough until stoppage time in the second half, when Alex Hartridge and Bim Pepple both scored to settle the contest. The Pilgrims registered 21 shots in total, six of which were on target, underlining the number of opportunities created but not taken before the late goals arrived.
What has Cleverley said about Evans' finishing?
Cleverley identified conversion in front of goal as the clearest area for improvement in Evans' game, while praising the broader qualities he showed on his first appearance.
"I think that's an area of Will's game I can improve. So in six months time I'd like to think we've done our job that that gets put away."
"You can see how many duels he wins, how many times he makes runs in behind, how well he connected with Bim."
The Plymouth boss added that he sees genuine coachable potential in Evans, distinguishing between attributes that can be taught and those that cannot.
"There's so many things that if a player's not got the desire to do you can't coach that into him, (but) I feel like I could coach him to be a better finisher."
"Bim missed a big chance with the header. Ronan (Curtis) had a couple of good ones, so I'm not focusing on Will, I'm certainly focusing on how we can improve that."
"But the fundamentals of his performance, there's a lot to like for me."
What else do we know about the transfer?
A separate transfer report put the fee at £400,000 plus performance-related add-ons, with Evans expected to undergo a medical on the Friday before the move was finalised. Mansfield Town's own announcement, cited by the club's statement, confirmed the sale to Plymouth was completed on 7 August 2026. Player records held by Transfermarkt list Evans as born on 1 July 1997, with his new contract running to 30 June 2028 and carrying the same club option for a further year referenced by Plymouth.
What is Evans' scoring record and squad role?
Reporting on the signing noted that Evans had scored 49 goals across his last three seasons, including 11 in the most recent campaign, form that appears to have driven Cleverley's interest, according to a separate BBC report. He has been handed the number 9 shirt at Home Park, a squad-numbers report from the Plymouth Herald notes, vacated after Lorent Tolaj's £4 million move to Bristol City.
What happens next?
Having already been thrown into competitive action in the Carabao Cup tie against Exeter City, Evans' next step is continued integration into Plymouth's first-team squad as the season progresses, with Cleverley indicating the coaching staff will focus specifically on refining his finishing over the coming months.
Key Facts
- Will Evans, 29, signed a two-year deal with a club option for a further year after moving from Mansfield Town.
- He made his Plymouth debut in a 2-0 Carabao Cup first-round win over Exeter City, missing several chances.
- Plymouth had 21 shots, six on target, before late goals from Alex Hartridge and Bim Pepple sealed the win.
- A separate report puts the transfer fee at £400,000 plus performance-related payments.
- Evans scored 49 goals over his last three seasons, including 11 last season, and now wears the number 9 shirt.
