MANAGER Paul Sturrock believes Plymouth Argyle can now 'get

to grips' with talks over contract extensions for Hungarian

pair Peter Halmosi and Krisztian Timar.

The Pilgrims started pre-season training yesterday and

Halmosi and Timar were among the players who carried out a

series of fitness tests at Marjons.

There have been negotiations between Argyle and Sam

Stapleton, the agent for Halmosi and Timar, over the

summer.

But with both players returning to Hungary for the close

season, there has not been as much progress made as Argyle

would have hoped for.

Now, though, Halmosi and Timar are back in Plymouth and the

talks are sure to intensify.

Halmosi, of course, has been at the centre of widespread

speculation about a transfer to newly-promoted Premier League

club Hull City.

He has two years remaining on his contract at Argyle, which

was signed when he moved from Hungarian club Debrecen for

£400,000 in May 2007.

Timar, however, only has a deal with the Pilgrims until June

2009, so there is an urgency to try to resolve his future.

Timar was Argyle's 2007/08 player of the year and Halmosi

was the runner-up so, understandably, Sturrock wants them to

stay at Home Park.

He told Herald Sport: “Talks are continuing and now they are

back here we can get to grips with it.

“We have been going to and fro through the agent, but now we

can get the agent down here, get the players in the room and

try to sort it out.

“I would like to tie both of them up to new contracts.”

Some sources believe it is only a matter of time before

Halmosi leaves, with Hull continuing to show a strong interest

in him.

But unless they come up with an offer of at least £2.5

million, Argyle are unlikely to sell the talented left-sided

midfielder.

Meanwhile, Sturrock has revealed Argyle are waiting on word

back from two of their transfer targets.

One of them is thought to be Austrian international

midfielder Jurgen Saumel, who has been strongly linked with the

Pilgrims.

However, newspaper reports in Germany suggest he could be

set to sign for Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach.

Sturrock said: “We are waiting on two players to give us the

nod that they have agreed everything. They want time to think

it over.”

Saumel, 23, has been the captain of Austrian Bundesliga club

Sturm Graz for the past four seasons.

But he is not on the list of current players on Sturm's

official website.

Argyle have made two signings so far this summer – Barnet

midfielder Jason Puncheon and Karl Duguid, the Colchester

United captain.

But, after his clear-out at the end of last season, Sturrock

needs to bolster his squad with at least another three or four

players. One un-named trialist is spending the first two weeks

of pre-season training with Argyle and hoping to impress

Sturrock.

The Pilgrims' boss said: “Hopefully, by the beginning of

next week we will have another two or three players in.

“Next week is quite heavy as far as running is concerned and

I wouldn't want too many of them to miss that.”

The Argyle squad split into two groups yesterday as they had

fitness tests conducted on them at Marjons.

Sturrock said: “They are good pros and I would be shocked if

any of them were out of condition.”

Argyle's home Championship game against newly-promoted

Swansea City on Saturday, August 23 will be televised live on

Sky Sports.

The kick-off will be 5.20pm instead of 3pm.

Former Argyle midfielder Nadjim Abdou, 23, has signed a

two-year contract with League One club Millwall.

Abdou played 33 times for the Pilgrims last season, but the

23-year-old failed to agree to terms on a new deal.

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett said: “He (Abdou) gained good

experience in the Championship last year and the fact that he

has a real hunger and desire to be successful was a big

attraction to me.

“I feel that Jimmy is a player on the way up. He is a good

age and is a midfield player with a bit of everything,

including a real strength in his tackling.”