Plymouth boss says Whittaker REFUSED to play amid transfer speculation

Whittaker's absence form the starting XI of the 5-0 defeat at Home Park raised further speculation over his future at the Pilgrims.

talkSPORT understands that Burnley and Hull City have seen bids rejected for the winger, who is valued in excess of £10million.

No fee is yet to have been agreed by any club for the 24-year-old.

Whittaker has scored 33 goals in 103 appearances for Plymouth since his reported £1million plus add-ons move from Swansea City in 2023.

However, head coach Muslic has revealed that the winger was in his plans to play against Burnley but Whittaker decided not to play.

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"We need players who really want to play for Argyle so we can always come to them when we need players, who are ready to give everything," he said after the defeat.

"I know he's a target and linked with transfers," he added, before saying: "He was available today, he was in the selection and he wasn't there.

"So, it's what I said again, we need to change this mentality, we need to change the locker room, we need to get characters inside with the desire to face this challenge and to give it all, that's our only way and our only chance."

Muslic then elaborated: "He was in the selection, and that's everything I have to say.

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"Morgan is an Argyle player under contract here as long as nobody has paid the money we as an organisation demand, to pay his value.

"He's an Argyle player and he has responsibilities and obligations to Argyle and like I said, that's one of the reasons why Argyle is struggling for the last months."

"Morgan didn't show up, he was in the selection," Muslic insisted, before finally saying: "We had a game today, he was in the selection, he wasn't there, and that's everything I have to say on Morgan."

A Whittaker-less Plymouth suffered a heavy defeat in their latest Championship outing.

Promotion-chasing Burnley scored their first goal of the evening on 11 minutes through Zian Flemming.

He netted his second shortly after the half-hour mark before Josh Laurent netted two goals for himself on the approach to half-time.

Josh Cullen scored the final goal of the match with a strike in first-half stoppage-time.

Plymouth have suffered a 15th Championship defeat of the season and remain bottom of the table on 21 points and six behind safety.

Portsmouth have added more pressure on the Pilgrims with a 3-1 win over Stoke City to take them up to 18th with a game in hand.

Plymouth's last Championship win came on November 5 when they beat Pompey 2-1.

They've faced a 14-game winless run in the league since then, with their FA Cup win over Brentford their only recent triumph.

Muslic's side return to action on Saturday with a tough trip to Sunderland, who comfortably sit fourth in the table.