Pilgrims pounce for duo

Trialists Marcel Seip and Cherno Samba have signed for Plymouth.

The duo have been on trial at Home Park recently and have impressed boss Ian Holloway sufficiently to be offered short-term contracts.

Dutch defender Seip (pictured) joins The Pilgrims from Heerenveen and Holloway is confident that he can translate that experience into Championship success.

"He has played 130-140 times in the Dutch first division for Heerenveen, including in the Uefa Cup, and was prepared to take a lot less than he could have got in Turkey to come to us," Holloway told the club's official website.

"He's not the beast that I'm looking for but from what I've seen he looks a good defender."

20-year-old striker Samba joins from Spanish side Cadiz, although he spent last season loaned out to Malaga.

He has already featured twice for the Argyle Jewson South Western League team.

"Cherno is hungry. He's enjoyed being with us so far and he's added to the team when he's played - every time. He hasn't disappointed us yet," said Holloway.

Holloway accepts that he is taking a chance on Seip and Samba, but is hoping the gamble pays off.

"They are two players I am taking on short-term contracts to see if I can build on what they've already shown me, which is very little, just what I've seen on the training ground," he explained.

"They are long-shots really."

Meanwhile, Holloway's search for new faces has seen him hand trials to former St Etienne and Modena midfielder Sofiene Zaaboub and fellow Frenchman Oumar Bakari.