PLYMOUTH Argyle have caused a furore in Belfast by bringing Northern Ireland international striker Rory Patterson to Devon.

The 25-year-old, who is spending this week training with the Pilgrims' first-team squad at Home Park, has scored 33 goals this season for Carling Irish Premiership club Coleraine. Seven of those goals came in two games against Belfast side Glentoran, who persuaded him to sign a pre-contract agreement with them in January.

Patterson is due to join Glentoran on a three-year deal in July. His prospective employers were not best pleased to find out that he was heading for Home Park this week.

"As far as we're concerned, he will be a Glentoran player next season and, if Plymouth want to sign him, then they'll have to negotiate with us," Glentoran chairman Aubry Ralph told the Belfast Telegraph.

The Glens found out at the weekend that Patterson was on his way to England – but not from the player.

"I spoke to Hugh Wade [Coleraine's chairman] on Saturday, and he told me Rory would be in Plymouth this week. Despite texting him, I didn't hear anything before he left for Plymouth," Ralph added.

"I think the advice he's receiving is poor, and it's a bit disrespectful not to let us know he was going to Plymouth. Maybe he's just being a little naive."

Strabane-born Patterson came to England to serve an apprenticeship with Rochdale, for whom he went on to make 18 first-team appearances. He then spent five years playing non-League football in England before returning home last summer. He made his international debut for Northern Ireland in this month's friendly in Albania.

Zimbabwe international left-back Onismor Bhasera has had to return to Africa to sort out some formalities which have delayed his addition to the Pilgrims' squad.

Bhasera, who is a free agent, has accepted a contract at Home Park which will last until July 2012. Argyle won an appeal last week to secure a work permit for the 24-year-old, who this week passed an English examination which was part of the visa process. He has since flown home to Zimbabwe. Ralph Nkomo, Bhasera's agent, told the South African media: "He has passed his exam, and now he needs a stamp from his country of birth on the papers to finalise it [the work permit]. He's flying to Zimbabwe, and he'll return on Wednesday once he's got the stamp."

Argyle also need a favour from South African club Kaizer Chiefs, Bhasera's former employers. Nkomo added: "I'm going to check with the South African FA to see if Kaizer Chiefs have handed them the international clearance needed to complete his move to Plymouth, but I don't foresee a problem as Chiefs have been co-operating well with us. If all goes well, Bhasera will play for Plymouth over the weekend."