PLYMOUTH Argyle are close to completing the signing of American midfielder Anton Peterlin on a one-year contract.

Peterlin, 23, had a medical yesterday afternoon and is ready to put pen to paper, after impressing Pilgrims' boss Peter Reid on a pre-season trial.

But the Pilgrims face competition from Championship club Crystal Palace to secure the services of Tony Capaldi, their former left-sided player.

Capaldi went to Argyle's pre-season training camp in the Netherlands last week, and played in all of their matches while they were out there.

But the 28-year-old was set to play for Palace in an away game against Bromley last night.

Peterlin was released by Everton in May, after one season with the Premier League club.

He will provide competition for Argyle's experienced central midfield pairing of Carl Fletcher and Damien Johnson.

But he has proved to Reid in pre-season he can also be effective on the right-side of midfield.

Reid said: "It looks like he will be coming in. It's a case of dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

"He has done well in the games he has played and has plenty of energy.

"We have got experience in there with Fletcher and Johnson, but he has younger legs.

"When it goes through, I will be delighted to have him on board."

Capaldi, who was part of Argyle's Division Two title-winning squad in 2003/04, was released by Cardiff City at the end of last season.

Palace's move for Capaldi could end the chances of him returning to Home Park.

Reid said: "We are speaking with Capaldi at this moment in time, but I think he has got interest from another club so that's just ongoing."

Reid, meanwhile, has decided not to sign trialist goalkeeper Freddy Hall — but could bring him back to Home Park later this year.

The Pilgrims' boss believes the 6ft 2in shot-stopper has a lot of promise, but is not ready yet to be the No2 to Romain Larrieu. Hall has played twice for Argyle during pre-season, the first time as a substitute in a 3-1 defeat away to Torquay United on July 13.

He then started the 3-3 draw against Dutch club SC Cambuur last Thursday.

Hall is now expected to return to playing for Bermuda Hogges in the USL Premier Development League.

Reid said: "Hall will be going back to Bermuda to finish off the season, but there is a possibility of getting him back towards the end of the year.

"The lad has done smashing, but he just needs a bit more coaching, so we are negotiating with the club to get him back here."

Reid is now concentrating on bringing in another keeper — probably on loan — before the start of the League One campaign on Saturday, August 7.

Argyle are in action tonight, when they play Hereford United at Edgar Street (7.45pm).

Striker Rory Fallon will play his first game of pre-season, following his participation for New Zealand at the World Cup.

Fallon, 28, only returned to training with the rest of the Pilgrims squad on Monday.

Reid said: "His basic fitness is still there, it's just about sharpening it up."

Despite Fallon's short summer break, Reid has not ruled him out of his plans for the visit to Southampton on August 7.

He said: "The first game of the season is way away, and everyone has got a chance of playing in it."

Defenders Onismor Bhasera and Marcel Seip are also set to start against Hereford, after missing out on the trip to the Netherlands.

Bhasera, a Zimbabwe international, could not get a visa to gain entry to the country. And Seip stayed behind in Plymouth for the birth of his first child, a son called Walter.

Argyle will take on Hereford without Fletcher, right-back Karl Duguid and central defender Reda Johnson.

Fletcher injured an ankle in the 1-0 defeat by Dutch top-flight club AZ Alkmaar last Wednesday.

Duguid suffered a badly bruised shin in the same match and, although he trained at UCP Marjon yesterday, he will not play tonight.

Johnson, meanwhile, sat out all three of the matches in the Netherlands because of a groin injury and has not resumed training.