Coventry City are running the eye over former Chelsea academy player Zain Westbrooke after he impressed in a trial recently.

Westbrooke is currently on the books of Brentford, but is out of contract at the end of the season and has been told he can leave on a free transfer. 

The 21-year old central midfielder joined Mark Robins' Sky Blues this week for a training match against Crewe and has impressed sufficiently to be invited back.

“I thought he came in and did well,” Sky Blues development coach Jason Farndon told Coventry Live. "When you get triallists in – and I have mentioned before that we’re hoping to get a few in – you want them to do what Zain has done today and that’s grab the game by the scruff of the neck and shown all his qualities. He’s done his chances no harm at all.”

Westbrooke was at the Chelsea Academy until 2011 before moving to the Bees, but loan spells at Solihull Moors and Leyton Orient have been his only first team action this season. He was captain of Brentford's B team last season, where he won Player of the Year with six goals from his 38 outings.

The Verdict

Westbrooke sounds very promising and if he can get some first team football he could well find his career getting back on track. There's been a glut of former Chelsea players ending up in League Two, Billy Knott and Jacob Mellis come to mind. Neither have thrived but there's no reason to suggest Westbrooke will go the same way.