[themaclad]

Plymouth Argyle have signed Fleetwood Town captain Brendan Wiredu and Luton Town forward Bim Pepple for undisclosed fees.

Wiredu, 25, scored seven goals in 123 games for Fleetwood after joining them from Colchester United three years ago.

Pepple, 22, scored 16 goals in 44 games last season during loan spells with Southend United in the National League and Chesterfield, who were defeated in the League Two play-off semi-finals in May.

Argyle have not disclosed the length of either player's contract.

Wiredu comes into an Argyle side in need of midfielders - Adam Randell moved to Bristol City last month, while Jordan Houghton rejected a new deal to join Stevenage.

The former Charlton Athletic academy graduate is Plymouth's third new signing since Tom Cleverley took over as head coach, after Xavier Amaechi and Owen Oseni also moved to Home Park.

"Brendan is a great acquisition for us," Cleverley told the club website, external.

"He is strong, versatile and, as evidenced by the fact he was Fleetwood's captain, a leader. It is great to have him on board."

Argyle head of football operations David Fox added: "Brendan is a player we have kept a close eye on, and he is a player who will really suit us as this moment in time.

"He is at an age where he is experienced, but still has many great years in front of him. We think he will complement us perfectly.

"Bim is physically strong, quick, powerful and has an excellent work rate. He is the kind of forward that defenders don't like playing against."

[themaclad]

Plymouth Argyle have signed free-agent midfielder Ayman Benarous on a one-year contract.

The 21-year-old Englishman had been on trial at Home Park over the summer after being released by Bristol City following an injury-plagued few seasons.

Having come through the Robins' academy, Benarous made 12 appearances for the Championship side but has not played in more than two years after a number of serious knee injuries.

But he has now returned to full fitness and bolsters an Argyle midfield shorn of the likes of Jordan Houghton and Adam Randell in recent weeks.

"Ayman is a young player with brilliant potential and has impressed us all since he came in to train with the squad," head coach Tom Cleverley told the club website., external

"He was highly thought of at Bristol City but unfortunately had bad luck with injuries. He's shown everyone here during the last week the talent he has at his disposal.

"We are really pleased he has agreed to join us as he had a number of options to choose from but felt Argyle was the best place for the next step in his career."

[themaclad]

Plymouth Argyle attacking midfielder Rami Al Hajj is set to leave the club, according to head coach Tom Cleverley.

The 23-year-old former Sweden Under-21 international struggled to make an impact after moving to Home Park from Danish side Odense last season.

Al Hajj, who still has two years on his contract at Plymouth remaining after joining for an undisclosed fee last August, has not been with the squad on their pre-season trip to Austria.

He scored just three goals in 29 appearances in all competitions for the Pilgrims last season.

"Rami looks close to a move away from the club," Cleverley said.

"It was apparent to when when I arrived that he wanted to move away from the club, and England. We're all working towards that."

[themaclad]

Plymouth Argyle attacker Rami Al Hajj has left the club after joining Danish side Silkeborg for an undisclosed fee.

The 23-year-old Swede moved to the club last summer from Odense and had two years left on his contract.

He scored three goals in 29 appearances in all competitions for the Pilgrims, who were relegated from the Championship in May.

The transfer for the former Sweden Under 21 player also includes a sell-on clause and comes after head coach Tom Cleverley said the player did not want to stay.

"It was apparent to me when I arrived that he wanted to move away from the club, and England," Cleverley said on Thursday.

He is the latest high-profile player to leave Argyle this summer after the likes of Michael Baidoo, Ryan Hardie, Maksym Talovierov and Adam Randell all moved on.

[themaclad]

Plymouth Argyle have signed Charlton Athletic centre-back Alex Mitchell on a season-long loan.

The 23-year-old comes in to bolster a Pilgrims defence that has conceded 10 goals in their opening four games in all competitions this season - losing all three games in League One.

Mitchell played 31 times for the Addicks in their promotion-winning campaign in League One last season after moving to the club a year ago from Millwall.

He is eligible to play in Tuesday's League One game against Leyton Orient and is likely to start, with Brendan Wiredu suspended and Julio Pleguezuelo injured.

"He's a really important signing for us," Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon.

"Obviously, we know why we have lost the three league games, and that is because we're conceding too many goals.

"He's going to help in that department. We've conceded from four set-pieces - he'll improve that overnight - and we've conceded four from direct play. Sometimes it's just the basics of football and heading it and clearing it, and Alex will bring us that.

"But he's more than that, he had a big part in Charlton's promotion year last year and that's important for me that he comes from a winning environment.

"He's had recent history of success and winning and been expected to win, and the more people that we can get from those kind of places the better, and that was an important part of why we signed Alex as well."

Cleverley, who is also looking to sign a first-choice striker, could yet add to his central-defensive options at Home Park despite the arrival of Mitchell.

"Potentially there might be another one because that gives us the scope then to see [Brendan] Galloway at left-back when we need that kind of game profile, and also Kornel [Szucs] at right-back when we need that kind of profile," he added.

"So I wouldn't be surprised if we saw another centre-back this window."