Aaron Dawson is due to start a trial at Torquay United this week.
Dawson, who was released by Exeter City by mutual consent last week, has been given the chance to prove himself at Plainmoor following Durrell Berry's departure from the club.
Berry, the ex-Plymouth Argyle right-back, left the Gulls last week as several other managers, including League Two Cheltenham Town's former Torquay boss Paul Buckle, inquired about his services.
Berry had spent two-and-a-half months at Plainmoor on a non-contract basis, but it seems that United could not afford the contract which their manager Chris Hargreaves wanted to offer him. He seems set to sign for Cheltenham this week.
With Dale Tonge also absent after knee surgery, it leaves Torquay without a specialist right-back. It was a situation which forced Hargreaves to play centre-back Krystian Pearce there at the start of Saturday's 2-0 FA Trophy win at Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday.
Dawson, 22, a product of the Grecians' academy, can play in midfield or right-back.
He made 17 League appearances for City after graduating to a professional contract, also spending loan spells at Tiverton, Havant and Waterlooville and, this season, Conference South club Farnborough.
Hargreaves knows him from his own time coaching at St James's Park.
