Anton Peterlin is poised to accept Plymouth Argyle deal

Anton Peterlin is poised to become a full-time Pilgrim – but Plymouth Argyle are in danger of losing Tony Capaldi to Crystal Palace.

Peterlin and Capaldi are two of the three trialists who joined the Home Park club at their pre-season training camp in the Netherlands last week. Both men took part in all three friendly fixtures on Argyle's Dutch tour.

Peterlin has done more than enough in training and in match action to impress the Pilgrims' coaching staff, and he has been offered a one-year contract by the npower League One outfit. The deal is due to be signed and sealed as soon as the 23-year-old Californian has passed his mandatory medical examination.

"It looks like Anton will be coming in," Reid told the media yesterday. "He's going to have his medical, and it [the deal] looks like it's going to get done. He has done well in the games he has played. He has plenty of energy.

"We've got experience in there in central midfield, with Carl Fletcher and Damien Johnson, but he's a bit younger. We'll be delighted to have him on board."

The midfielder was plucked out of semi-professional and college soccer in the United States by Everton last summer. He did not play first-team football during his year at Goodison Park, but he trained with the Toffees' senior squad and tasted reserve-team action.

While Peterlin's addition to the squad at Home Park seems imminent, the prospects of Capaldi playing competitive football for Plymouth again may be receding.

The Northern Ireland international left-back, who is Argyle's most-capped player, was a first-team regular for the Pilgrims from 2003 to 2007, when he joined Cardiff City. The 28-year-old is now a free agent, having been released by the Welsh club.

Argyle have started to talk terms with Capaldi, but they are not the only club to take an interest in him. "We're speaking with Tony at this moment in time, but I think there's interest from another club," Reid admitted. Capaldi played as a trialist for Championship outfit Crystal Palace in a friendly fixture at Bromley last night.

The third trialist who spent last week with Argyle in the Netherlands was goalkeeper Freddy Hall. The Pilgrims have not lost interest in the 25-year-old Bermudian, but they are not quite ready to offer him a contract.

"Freddy is going back to Bermuda, but we might bring him back towards the end of the year," Reid explained. "That's a possibility. To be fair to the lad, he has done smashing, but he just needs a bit more coaching. We're negotiating with his club just now to bring him back."

The trials at Plymouth for Hall and Peterlin were set up by Argyle head coach Paul Mariner. Like Peterlin, Hall has experience in college and semi-professional soccer in the States. He plays for Quinnipiac University Bobcats in Connecticut, and for Bermuda Hogges, whose 2010 season of club football in the USA's Premier Development League came to an end on Monday.

With Hall on his way back to Bermuda for now, the Pilgrims have a vacancy for a goalkeeper in their senior squad. Reid does not want to go into the League One season with Cornish teenager Ollie Chenoweth as the only understudy to Romain Larrieu.

"I'll probably bring in one or two 'keepers," Reid revealed. When he was asked if he had loan signings in mind to fill the gaps, he replied: "Yes."

Despite the over-stocked squad at Home Park, Reid is continuing to assess trialists. American full-back Laurent Manuel, who was trying his luck with the Pilgrims before their Dutch expedition, has re-appeared, while two new trialists have turned up in Plymouth this week.

Lee Molyneux, a 21-year-old left-back from Merseyside, will play for Argyle in tonight's friendly at Hereford United. He is a product of Everton's Academy and has played first-team football for Southampton. He was freed by the Saints last month.

The Pilgrims are also taking a look at 23-year-old defender Stéphane Zubar. The Frenchman has played for Caen, Pau, FC Brussels and Romanian club Vaslui, where his contract has been cancelled.