Zak Ansah has joined League One club, Southend United, on trial.

  • Striker released from Arsenal in 2014
  • Ansah training with 29 other players in Spain for Southend’s pre-season
  • Southend manger doesn’t believe 23-year-old has been given a chance
  • The English-born Ghanaian’s father Andy is a Southend legend after making 181 appearances in the 1990s

Ansah, who was released by Arsenal in 2014, has joined Southend United on trial.

After leaving the Gunners, the 23-year-old was at Charlton Athletic for two years. The fellow London club loaned him out to Plymouth Argyle and Newport County but the striker only scored a combined three goals.

Ansah then signed for National League side Woking, where he made 11 appearances and scored just the once. Woking then released him once the 2016/17 season had come to an end.

Hopefully the striker’s career can begin to improve with this trial at Southend.

The Shrimpers’ manager, Phil Brown, believes Ansah hasn’t been given the right opportunities since leaving north London and intends to rectify that.

“Zak’s father’s rang me and asked if there was a possibility of Zak coming away with us,” said Brown.

“I checked his history and he had something like 11 years at Arsenal so he has good grounding.

“He hasn’t had much of an opportunity since leaving Arsenal so we’ll be having a look at him in Spain and then play him in the games we have against Partick Thistle and Ipswich.”

Ansah has been included in Brown’s 30 players that are currently in Spain for preseason.