PLYMOUTH Argyle youth team chiefs are negotiating with the club's potential new owners for a £2million Academy to create stars of the future.

Head of youth development, Gordon Bennett, confirmed that Argyle's 'board in waiting' have been made aware of the club's need for Academy status.

At a conservative estimate, it would cost Argyle £2million to build Academy facilities, plus £700,000 a year to run it.

Crucially, it would allow young Argyle players to play better-quality opponents, such as Arsenal and Manchester United youth, than they do at their present Centre of Excellence level.

That would help give them better preparation for their potential progression to Argyle's first team.

Bennett spelled out the benefits of Academy level football during the unveiling of a new sponsor for the youth set-up.

Plymouth and Redruth-based LTC Group87 Ltd have signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Argyle.

Bennett said that out of 72 clubs in the Football League, 51 had Centre of Excellences, while the rest had Academies.

He told a Press conference that he and youth team coach Mike Pejic were using Academy methods when working with their Centre of Excellence players.

Bennett pointed out that they had been the sole remaining Centre of Excellence representatives in the FA Youth Cup when they reached the quarter-finals and fifth round, respectively, over the past two seasons.

This season, they have attractive friendlies arranged against Arsenal and Manchester City, with Aston Villa and Cardiff City also on the cards.

But Bennett and Pejic made it clear that their aim was to take the Argyle youth squad into a higher place of regular competition during the season.

Bennett said: "There has been an initial meeting with the representatives of the proposed new regime.

"I did raise the matter and made it very clear to those representatives exactly what would be required for an Academy to be achieved.

"They are totally aware of what is needed."

Youth officials at Home Park – like all other staff at the Championship club – are waiting for confirmation of the result of Argyle's takeover bid.

It is believed Japanese director Yasuaki Kagami will be announced as the club's majority shareholder later this week.

One of his companies, Tokyo-based Shonan Management Corporation (SMC), has been in talks since early this year about buying a controlling interest in the Pilgrims.