Relegation-threatened Plymouth Argyle have bolstered their attacking firepower as they strive to stay in the Football League.

Strikers Juvhel Tsoumou and Alex MacDonald, both aged 21, were signed on loan from Preston North End and Burnley respectively, hours before the January transfer window was closed.

Tsoumou, a former Germany Under-19 international who was born in the Republic of Congo, will spend the rest of the season at Home Park. MacDonald will be available up to and including Argyle's npower League Two away game against AFC Wimbledon on March 6.

Argyle manager Carl Fletcher admitted the Pilgrims' lowly league position and financial restrictions put signing proven strikers out of his reach. But he has high hopes for 6ft 1in Tsoumou and 5ft 7in MacDonald, who was recommended to Fletcher by Burnley's boss, his former Bournemouth team-mate Eddie Howe.

Fletcher said: "We've had an eye on both of the players for a long time and we are now close to having two players in each position.

"Competition for places is what you want at every football club."

Tsoumou and MacDonald are set to train with the Argyle squad for the first time tomorrow, ahead of the clash against Paul Sturrock's title-chasing Southend United at Home Park on Saturday.

Fletcher made his double swoop after seeing his side muster only one shot on target in the 1-0 defeat at Port Vale last Saturday – and that was from a free-kick.

Northern Ireland international striker Warren Feeney was ruled out of that match by a calf injury and his replacement, Nick Chadwick, was not fully fit after a hamstring problem.

Chadwick led the line with first-year apprentice Matt Lecointe, but both were substituted in the second half. The Pilgrims ended the game with Craig Sutherland as their lone striker, and he has since returned to Blackpool at the end of his loan spell.

Tsoumou signed for Preston on a two-year contract last August, after impressing their former boss Phil Brown during a trial period.

Tsoumou has made 22 appearances for North End in all competitions this season, including 11 starts, and scored four goals.

Fletcher said: "With where we are at the moment, in terms of financial and league status, it is very hard to get proven established players, especially strikers.

"But for Juvhel it's an opportunity to play some games, score some goals and really help our team out."

Tsoumou, who moved to Germany at the age of ten, spent the 2006-07 season in the youth set-up at Blackburn Rovers.

He then returned to Germany and started his professional career at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Tsoumou played ten times in the Bundesliga for them and grabbed one goal – as a substitute in a 2-1 home win against Bayern Munich in March 2010.

He spent last season with German second division side Alemannia Aachen, but his six appearances all came from the substitutes' bench, and he did not score.

Tsoumou had a trial at Sheffield Wednesday before being offered terms at Preston by Brown, who has since been replaced as manager by Graham Westley.

MacDonald, a graduate of Burnley's youth set-up, has made one start and six substitute appearances for the Clarets this season.

He scored one of the goals for Scotland's Under-21 XI when they won 5-1 away to Luxembourg in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier last October. His last outing for Burnley came as a substitute in their 4-1 defeat at Norwich City in the FA Cup third round on January 7. Fletcher said: "I have known Alex for a little while now because Eddie Howe spoke to me about him.

"He's a Scottish Under-21 international and, like you do with every player, you do your homework, ask people you respect in the game, and everything came back positive. He's a good age, so let's hope he can come down here, force his way into the team, and do well."

MacDonald spent the second half of last season on loan to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Premier League. He scored once in two starts and nine substitute appearances, and on his return to Burnley he signed a new one-year deal.

MacDonald, born in the Cheshire town of Warrington, also had a loan spell in the SPL with Falkirk during the 2009-10 season.

Meanwhile, Argyle were linked with a deadline-day move for Birmingham City's 6ft 3in striker Jake Jervis. However, the 20-year-old reportedly chose to stay with the Championship club and try to earn a new contract with them. Jervis has had loan spells at Swindon Town and Preston this season. He was also linked with Argyle shortly before Peter Reid was sacked as manager in September.