Leyton Orient have suffered Ipswich Town fate with most underwhelming Richie Wellens signing: View

Leyton Orient’s transfer business under Richie Wellens has been a key factor in the team’s success.

The likes of Theo Archibald and George Moncur helped the O’s to win the League Two title two seasons ago.

Meanwhile, the additions of Ollie O’Neill, Dan Agyei and Ethan Galbraith helped the East London club to exceed expectations in their return to League One.

However, one player that Wellens would have liked to contribute more was striker Joe Pigott, who arrived on a free transfer from Ipswich Town last summer.

Joe Pigott at Leyton Orient

Pigott was brought in as a League One-proven player that would add much-needed experience to a largely young squad.

With the likes of Dan Agyei and Ruel Sotiriou able to share the goalscoring load, he was never expected to be prolific for the O’s.

But, summer signing Agyei suffered an injury in pre-season that kept him out until the end of November, meaning that Pigott needed to shoulder more responsibility.

Yet, he could only muster up two league goals, against Exeter City and Barnsley, respectively, by the time the January transfer window came around.

As a result, youngsters Dan Adu-Adjei and Khayon Edwards were signed on loan in an attempt to provide Wellens’ side with more attacking threat.

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The O’s will be busy in the summer transfer window.

Neither they nor Pigott had much luck in front of goal for the remainder of the campaign, hence Orient finishing as the tenth-lowest scoring side in the division.

And while the loanees have now returned to their parent clubs, Pigott heads into the summer with another year left on his O’s contract.

But after offering next to nothing throughout the 2023/24 season, there is every possibility that Wellens will not include him in his plans for the next campaign.

Joe Pigott’s career

Pigott came through Charlton Athletic’s academy, making his first team debut in a 4–0 victory over Oxford United in the League Cup.

He only played 16 times for the Addicks in all competitions, though, as he spent much of his time on loan elsewhere.

First, he joined National League South side Bromley, before spells at Football League clubs Gillingham, Newport County, Southend United and Luton Town.