SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown could offer trialist striker Amadou Ba a contract at Roots Hall.

The teenage Frenchman scored a second half equaliser for the Shrimpers in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Ebbsfleet United.

And Brown could now reward the frontman with a permanent deal.

“Amadou looks like he has a great attitude and mentality and he has half a smile on his face but I want to make that a whole smile by maybe offering him a deal,” said Brown.

“We have a French agent in France who we utilise on a part-time basis and he came up with some absolute belters in the past at both Hull and Bolton because he has good connections in a lot of countries.

“He threw Amadou our way and you can see he’s got something.

“He’s still got a week and a half left on his trial but in the meantime we might be able to give him something.”

The agent in question helped Brown bring defender Kamil Zayatte to Hull City and Bruno N’Gotty to Bolton Wanderers.

And Brown has already been impressed by his latest recommendation.

“Amadou puts defenders under pressure and he got his rewards because of that on Saturday,” said the 58-year-old.

“I watched him in the 21s at Lowestoft on Wednesday and I witnessed a performance which was very similar to Theo Robinson.

“That’s why I brought him on for Theo and it was also important he played alongside Marc-Antoine Fortune.

“My French is awful and so is Amadou’s English but Marco is key in that communication.”