FRENCH-born striker Thomas Dossevi, a Togo international, is currently having a trial at Colchester United.

Ex-Swindon Town 32-year-old Dossevi has been training with the U’s for the last few days, although manager John Ward has been frustrated in his attempts to arrange a friendly fixture for him this week.

Ward has been on the look-out for a back-up striker for most of this season, due to Steven Gillespie’s on-and-off struggle with niggling injuries.

Kayode Odejayi has led the U’s front-line as a solitary front-man for most of the campaign, although the big target man only lasted four minutes as a substitute during Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Scunthorpe.

Odejayi was sidelined by a hefty challenge near the touch-line that left him with a foot injury.

Fellow striker Dossevi, meanwhile, is hoping to catch Ward’s eye in training.

“Thomas is a French boy, who played for Swindon,” explained Ward.

“He’s just come in for two or three days to train with us. He has paid his own way.

“I was asked to have a look at him, and I have done. He’s a free agent and we will see how he goes.

“We tried to get a game on Monday or Tuesday for him, but we have not been able to do that.

“We may have to chat to him about what he wants to do. He’s got some experience, he’s 32, so he’s been around a little bit. He’s been doing all right in training,” added Ward.

Dossevi spent most of last season at Swindon, scoring three goals in 31 first team appearances.

He was a member of the Togo squad at the 2006 World Cup, and was previously released by French club Nantes before his switch to Swindon.

Dossevi has made 27 appearances for Togo, and was one of the surviving witnesses of a bus shooting in Angola during the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

Three of Dossevi’s friends died in that terrorist attack, and nine others were injured.