YORK City have offered trialist defender Jassem Sukar a contract at Bootham Crescent.

The former Dundee United centre back, who made 28 appearances on loan at Scotland’s League Two champions Arbroath last season, has convinced City chief Gary Mills he is worthy of a deal after impressing during pre-season.

But right-back Adam Porritt, who has also been trying to earn a move to the Minstermen, has been told his services won’t be required.

Sukar, 21, was signed by City chief executive Jackie McNamara when he was manager at Tannadice in August 2015.

Born in Hartlepool, Sukar had been on the books of Middlesbrough and Sunderland and played for the latter’s under-21 team before moving north of the border.

He did not break through into United’s first team, but was farmed out to Peterhead and Brechin, before featuring prominently during Arbroath’s title-winning campaign last term, scoring twice and picking up two red cards.

Mills has suggested that, should Sukar finalise terms, then that will represent his final piece of transfer activity during the close season and he added: “We’ve spoken to Jass and made him an offer, so we’ll see whether he accepts it.

“He’s done well. I don’t think you can judge anyone in a week - you’ve got to give them a bit longer and other clubs want to take him, so it’s got to the stage where we needed to make a decision.

“He’s a left-footed centre half so, if we play three at the back, he gives us another option. If he agrees to sign, then I believe our squad is ready and I won’t be looking to talk to agents about other players.”

Along with crocked trio Clovis Kamdjo, Aidan Connolly and Matt Fry, goalkeeper Jon Worsnop and attacker Louis Almond could miss tomorrow night’s home friendly against Blackburn Rovers after suffering minor problems during a 2-0 behind-closed-doors defeat against Nottingham Forest reserves at the weekend.

“Jon Worsnop picked up a bad head injury and had quite a few stitches and Louis Almond is also feeling his hamstring slightly, so we’ll see how they are,” Mills explained.

Should Worsnop be ruled out, then transfer-listed, net-minder Luke Simpson and youth-team shot-stopper Ryan Whitley are being primed for 45 minutes apiece against the newly-relegated League One outfit.

Other than the injuries to Worsnop and Almond, though, Mills was pleased with the Forest game.

“It was a useful exercise,” he pointed out. “They were decent and gave us a really good test.

“It was another good workout fitness wise and every game is different, which is why we have picked them. On Saturday, we’ll go to Grantham where they’ll have an athletics track around the pitch and we’ll be playing in a lot of different environments next season.”

Blackburn will visit Bootham Crescent for the 7.30pm kick off, boasting the likes of former Swansea and Sunderland striker Danny Graham in their ranks, along with full internationals, such as Scotland pair Charlie Mulgrew and Craig Conway, as well as Northern Ireland’s Anthony Stokes and Corry Evans, of Northern Ireland.

On his expectations for the contest, the City boss said: “I’m looking for something similar to the games against Scunthorpe and Forest by continuing to work on our fitness and doing our jobs properly. We’re looking to get stronger by the game now and it’s another test to show we are capable of putting on a good performance.”