OXFORD United's foreign legion is set to increase further this week with the signing of Argentine Lucas Cominelli.

The left-sided midfielder has been training with the U's for a week, and Oxford's Argentine management are keen for him to put pen to paper in time for Saturday's Coca-Cola League Two visit to Kidderminster.

United will need international clearance, with Cominelli playing last year in Malaysia, where he helped Pahang become champions of the Super League.

Like Uruguayan Mateo Corbo, who made an impressive debut in Oxford's 2-1 victory over table-topping Yeovil on Saturday, Cominelli has had previous experience of English football.

He was with Newcastle United in the 1999-2000 season, but did not play a Premiership game for Bobby Robson's men.

After several months on trial, and a handful of res- erve team games, he failed to impress Robson sufficiently to be given a contract.

He then had a brief trial with Carlisle United, but again was not taken on.

However, he has since gained valuable experience in Asia and United boss Ramon Diaz is believed to rate him highly because he is a creative midfielder who can play in a position that has been an Achilles heel for the U's this season.

For some time the team have not had a natural left-sided midfielder, and they have used Steve Basham, Jamie Brooks and Lee Bradbury in that position at different times this campaign, with left back Matt Robinson pushing forward to fill the void last Saturday.

Teenager Tom Winters has looked the most natural left-sided midfielder, but he has had a season plagued by illness and injury and is only just returning to fitness.

Diaz's assistant, Jean Marc Goiran, told the Oxford Mail: "Cominelli has been training with the team and we want to bring him in. He is a good midfielder who can play on the left. He was with Newcastle in 2000 and has been in Malaysia.

"He is the type of player we are looking for, someone of the right age and experience, like Corbo, who I thought had a very good game on Saturday and helped Jon Ashton in the defence.

"With Corbo and Cominelli we would then be looking at maybe bringing in just one more and that could then be it."

Cominelli is believed to be aged 29 and he has a Spanish passport so would not require a work permit.

He joined Newcastle on loan from Grenada, and at Pahang played in the same team as ex-Birmingham City defender Jonathan Bass.