Southend central defender, striker or winger Bilel Mohsni is training with Town this week, we understand. The 25-year-old French-Tunisian, who was at Playford Road today, is definitely on his way out of Roots Hall despite having a year remaining on his contract and was close to joining West Ham earlier in the summer.

Paris-born Mohsni, who is primarily a centre-half, played for French lower league clubs CO Les Ulis, US Saint-Georges and Sainte-Geneviève Sports before joining Southend after a trial in July 2010.

Southend rebuffed a £250,000 offer from Blackpool in January 2011 with Mohsni having made a good early impression.

He faced the Blues in the 1-1 pre-season draw at Roots Hall prior to the start of the 2011/12 season, playing one half at the back and one up front and almost getting himself sent off for clashing with Lee Martin, Andy Drury amongst others in a lively, effective and not a little volatile performance.

Last season, cult figure Mohsni operated as a striker and then as a winger for Paul Sturrock’s side but failed to show for the start of pre-season training this time around as he was looking to play at a higher level, subsequently joining West Ham on trial.

The Hammers were impressed enough to offer £150,000 for 6ft 3in tall Mohsni but the Shrimpers refused the offer and the player returned to France.

Last week, he spent time with Celtic on trial but with the transfer window having closed last Friday a switch to the SPL champions — if they were interested - now couldn’t take place until January.

With the emergency loan window opening this coming weekend, the Blues or any other Football League club who might be interested could sign him on an initial loan with a view to a permanent deal in January.

Photo: Action Images

Hullblue added 22:37 - Sep 3 Bloody strikers
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cooper4england added 22:40 - Sep 3 Hmmmm could be good. Seems to have a large chip on his shoulder which would be very unlike the French.
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SouperJim added 22:41 - Sep 3 Er, I'm confused, where does this lunatic play? Or is "where doesn't he play" an easier question to answer?
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tractornat added 22:42 - Sep 3 defender, striker or winger??????????????????? multitalented just a little bit?!?!??!
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Dowson added 22:43 - Sep 3 what an odd combo , defender and striker ..
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ChrisMakin2012 added 22:47 - Sep 3 Defender, striker, goalkeeper... WHICH IS IT!?
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martleshamitfc added 22:47 - Sep 3 I bet he thinks he is a good goalkeeper as well?
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J45 added 22:49 - Sep 3 Not sure about this one feel we should be concentrating on the back four rather than our forwards. There is no need to spend more money on someone not necessarily needed when other areas need to be stregthened.That is if there is even any truth in this story.
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Jimmys_Law added 22:51 - Sep 3 Known about him for a couple of years and I've always felt like he could do a job for us in the championship. Can't be half bad if he was interesting West Ham and Celtic. I'd go for it if I was Jewell.
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Guthrum added 22:52 - Sep 3 Tall, mobile and good in the air - attributes equally useful for a striker and a central defender. Simples! Great photo, too. Talk about tough tackling!
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Jimmys_Law added 22:53 - Sep 3 He is a centre back but has been played more recently as a target man upfront. Surely his versatility could only be a good thing?
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BlueBoots added 22:53 - Sep 3 Wow, Phil - do all the available photos of Mohsni show him kicking someone in the plums?
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eddie240393 added 22:54 - Sep 3 he is mainly a centre back but can be chucked up front and is decent with his feet, however he is very clumsy and don't think would be a great addition as you will be punished a lot more in the championship compared to league 2
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Sindre94 added 22:55 - Sep 3 The new Bam bam? :)
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MarkITFC added 22:58 - Sep 3 worth a punt ? if were losing then we could always stick him up front get the equalizer then stick him back at centre half .
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SouperJim added 23:02 - Sep 3 So he's a cb/striker/winger, good with his feet but very clumsy, nice quiet lad who is a total nutter hatchet man. Sounds like an enigma, wrapped up in a puzzle, wrapped up in a conundrum, inside a riddle. I think we should sign him immediately.
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wkj added 23:11 - Sep 3 If nothing else the picture suggests he is great at kicking players in the gut... worth a punt... (yes i went there)
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ThatMuhrenCross added 23:15 - Sep 3 I'd sign him! But I don't think he is the solution. He'd be good for bolstering our very tiny squad, and it would be interesting to see what he can do. But as I say, he's not THE answer. He should be one of at least two central defenders brought in. And by the way, the Southend song goes: "Mohsni Bilel, Mohsni Bil-el..., he speaks no English, Mohsni Bilel..." (to the tune of "He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants, Robin Van Persie, he scores when he wants") ...which probably isn't much use when we have communicative problems to address!!

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Plums added 23:17 - Sep 3 When did the phrase "utility player" go out of use?
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casanovacrow added 23:18 - Sep 3 if it's accurate maybe his aggressive side might rub off on the players we already have at the club so we get tight to players at set plays and don't throw in the towel when we start loosing by 2+ goals. Promising link though, could mean Paul is looking at some targets we actually have a hope in hell of signing *shock*
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Gogs added 23:27 - Sep 3 That's a great photo, looks like he's just booted the other bloke in the goolies
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walberswick added 23:32 - Sep 3 the new damian delaney
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Pique added 23:38 - Sep 3 Could be great. Could be disastrous. Almost certainly mad. What the hell - sign him up.
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WorcesterBlue added 23:53 - Sep 3 The lad is nuts but now Sonks and Bullard have gone maybe just maybe?....
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blue979 added 23:59 - Sep 3 so we'd sign a new player just to end up with 10 on the pitch due to the fact that this french man is a f#*king nutter ? disclaimer:other countries have f#*king nutters not just the french!
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