NEWPORT County are poised to snap up a goalkeeper who has faced BRAZIL as their first big name purchase of the pre-season.

Former Swansea shot-stopper Roger Freestone is on the verge of signing and fans worried about finding a replacement for Duncan Roberts, who left the club last week to sign for Cambridge City, will be boosted by the addition of an even more impressive stopper.

The 35-year-old started his career at Newport 18 years ago. He then played for Chelsea and Hereford before starring at Swansea for more then ten years.

He was a fans favourite at the Vetch and would be a major signing coup for Peter Nicholas, who worked with Freestone during his spell as assistant manager at Swansea.

His international cap came in May 2000, when he faced the might of Brazil at the Millennium Stadium, although Mark Hughes' side eventually crashed 3-0.

The addition of Freestone has set a marker down for the type of players Nicholas is looking to bring to Spytty.

The club are also tracking former Cardiff pair Jason Bowen and Scot Young, and Merthyr hitman Cortez Belle is constantly being linked with a move back to his home-town club.

County refused to comment on the signing of Freestone until the deal is done but it should be today.

Meanwhile County have lined up a top pre-season friendly with Division Two play-off losers Bristol City. The match, on Friday July 16, will be the first County game as they warm up for an assault on Conference South which kicks-off on Saturday, August 14.

The match comes at an awkward time for County, with the players resuming pre-season training only eight days before.

But general manager Wallace Brown explained, "The problem is two-fold. The Football League season is once again starting a week before our own fixtures and Newport Stadium is holding a two-day athletics meting on July 31-August 1, so given Bristol's other commitments July 16 was the only available date."

Other fixtures in County's pre-season programme includes away clashes with Newport YMCA on Saturday, July 24 and Clevedon on July 27 as well as Tiverton on Friday August 6.