Former Austrian international midfielder or defender Gilbert Prilasnig has snubbed a trial with Cambridge United to try his luck with Town. Prilasnig, currently out of contract, has played for his country 16 times and was in their squad at the 1998 World Cup in France.

The 30-year-old was set to play in a reserve game for the U's on Tuesday night but, according to sources close to Cambridge, phoned the club on the afternoon of the match to tell them he was off for a trial at Portman Road instead.

Prilasnig started his career with VTS Völkermarkt but moved on to Sturm Graz where for several seasons he played in the Champions' League, coming up against Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers.

In August 2001 he was transferred to Greek club Aris Salonika, one of Town's opponents during their 1981 UEFA Cup-winning run. He returned to Austria in the summer of 2002 after Aris had financial problems and signed for FC Kärnten.

Since leaving Kärnten last July, Prilasnig has been looking for a new club and has had trials at First Vienna and in Israel with Bnei-Yehuda.

Had he played in Cambridge's reserves on Tuesday he would have been in the same side as ex-Town defender Mark Venus. The veteran has fallen out with boss John Taylor and is currently training with the youth side and playing in the reserves.

Another former Town player, ex-reserve Ashley Nicholls, has joined the U's on a three-month loan from Darlington.

The Blues had another trialist, 17-year-old Ford United central defender Jerome Sobers, involved in the reserve game against Arsenal earlier this week.

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