YASER KASIM and Raphael Rossi Branco are both in contract discussions with Swindon Town following impressive trials, according to caretaker manager Mark Cooper.

Kasim - an Iraqi-born midfielder formerly on the books of Brighton - and centre-back Branco both spent last week with the Robins squad at their pre-season training camp in Portugal and performed well enough for Cooper and director of football operations Lee Power to be willing to talk about long-term stays for the pair in Wiltshire.

Cooper was pleased with the two players’ displays in practice and match scenarios, and he confirmed that they are both negotiating deals with Town.

He said: “I think they’re both in discussions. They both did very well on the trip and I think something will be sorted out sooner rather than later.

“(Kasim) is technically very good, he keeps the ball, he cuddles it and moves the ball on without getting caught on it.

“I would say (Branco) is your typical, no-nonsese South American defender. We’ve got to try to calm him down a bit in terms of giving fouls away because we’re not the biggest, but he’s got ability.”

Ryan Mason and Ryan Harley both joined up with the Swindon squad in Carvoeiro, though Harley did not train as he recovers from a hamstring injury and Mason only arrived in time to play in the 3-3 draw with a Tottenham Development XI on Saturday.

Cooper said: “Ryan (Harley) joined us on Thursday. He didn’t do any training, he had a slight niggle from pre-season at Brighton. Ryan Mason joined us for the game on Saturday.

“He’s a technician. He’s technically very good, he can pass the football short and long, can score goals, runs about the pitch and does everything you’d expect from a Tottenham footballer.

“Ryan Harley is two-footed, can score goals from the middle of midfield. He’s another technician and if you look at our midfield I think you’ll see we’ve got some awfully gifted players in there now.”

Cooper was also pleased by the contributions made by winger Tijane Reis, whose international clearance came through during Town’s time on the Algarve.

“Tijane can be explosive at times,” he said. “He has got an incredible amount of ability and skill. We’re just trying to cross the language barrier at the moment with my little bit of Spanish and his Portuguese. We’re trying to meet somewhere in the middle.

“I don’t know what we’ve got at the minute but we’re trying and he’s getting better with every day that passes.”