SOUTHEND MAY SNAP UP OGOGO
MIDFIELDER HOLDS TALKS WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUB AFTER BEING RELEASED BY BRISTOL ROVERS
ABU Ogogo has held talks with Southend United boss Phil Brown over a move to Roots Hall, the Bristol Post understands.
The midfielder was released by Bristol Rovers at the end of an injury-hit season, but Gas boss Joey Barton has extended an invite for him to return for pre-season with a view to earning a contract.
But the 31-year-old appears to have a more concrete option in Essex, with Brown rebuilding the Shrimpers’ squad after their relegation to the National League.
League Two Colchester United are also understood to have expressed an interest in the former
Shrewsbury Town and Coventry City midfielder.
Ogogo joined Rovers in January 2019 with the club tangled up in a relegation battle, and his tireless displays at the heart of Graham Coughlan’s midfield were a big factor as the Gas pulled clear of the drop zone.
Coughlan’s departure and the emergence of some injury issues saw his playing time reduced at Rovers, and Ben Garner decided not to include Ogogo in his 22-man squad at the start of last summer, with the player heading out on loan to National League Dagenham & Redbridge.
Paul Tisdale replaced Garner a few months later and recalled Ogogo from his loan spell with reintegrating
him in the first-team squad in mind, but the former Arsenal academy graduate suffered a season-ending injury in his third appearance of the campaign.
While Barton has indicated Ogogo has a chance to remain in the EFL by earning a deal at Rovers, he would run the risk of jeopardising offers on the table should he suffer an injury.
Meanwhile, popular former Bristol Rovers defender Tom Davies is set to complete a move to Tranmere Rovers, the Bristol Post understands.
The 29-year-old is a free agent this summer after being released by the Gas, but he is on the verge of completing a move to Micky Mellon’s side at Prenton Park.
The centre-back did not let Rovers down on the pitch, but his spell in BS7 was marred by knee injuries which forced him to spend almost all of 2020 on the sidelines.
But he got back in the grove with a loan move in January to Barrow, where he played 12 games and scored once in League Two.
He was one of 11 players released by Rovers at the end of the season, but his performances at Holker Street have earned him a move to a Tranmere side tipped for promotion after being beaten in the League Two play-off semi-finals by Morcambe last month.
The deal was first reported by Football League World and the Bristol Post understands the report to be accurate.