Blues boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that former West Brom and Bolton centre-half Abdoulaye Meite is spending the week on trial at Playford Road. The Town manager also revealed that 29-year-old Ghanaian international John Mensah, a Sunderland loanee for two seasons, was a possible signing last week.
Jewell confirmed that free agent Meite, who was signed by former Blue Tony Mowbray during his time as manager at the Hawthorns, is at the club: "He’s training with us this week. He came in on Monday and Tuesday and he’ll be in tomorrow. We’re looking at him for a week.
"John Mensah was mentioned last week. He was training at West Ham and there was a possibility that that was going to happen but again it didn’t.
"These players are out of work, out of contract or the clubs that they’re at are now realising the money they wanted for them or the money that players were demanding before the transfer window isn’t about.”
Mensah was released by Lyon at the end of last season having previously played for the likes of Genoa, Chievo, Modena, Cremonese and Rennes.
Town’s interest in former FC Köln man Kevin Pezzoni, who was on trial last week, seems unlikely to be progressed any further: "He did OK. I spoke with his father here last week and I spoke to his agent and the money the agent was looking for is out of our level.
"He’s played the last four seasons as a defensive midfield player as well and we’re looking for that typical English centre-half that no one can find anywhere.”
Jewell has no injury concerns ahead of Wednesday’s game against Wolves, despite Paul Taylor and Luke Chambers having suffered minor knocks at Middlesbrough, while Ronan Murray’s three-match suspension after his red card in the U21s on Sunday only affects non-first team games.