Gillingham have signed left-back Lenni Cirino on a ‘short-term deal’ ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Cirino has been on trial with the Gills throughout the summer. He played youth football for Manchester City and Liverpool before joining Blackburn Rovers, where he excelled in their development side after progressing through the club’s academy.
Blackburn described him as a “forward-thinking defender who’s known for his attacking runs” and he signed a two-year professional contract at Ewood Park in May 2021.
He never managed a first-team appearance with the club, however. He was released by Blackburn at the end of the 2023/24 season and joined non-league Clitheroe in September of the following campaign.
The defender has spent the whole of the pre-season with the Gills and will now provide competition for Max Clark at left-back after signing a contract with the club.
The young defender is a Montserrat international, having made his international debut for them last summer in a World Cup qualifier against Nicaragua. He’s played four times for the country.
He wasn’t involved in the Gillingham team at Dartford on Saturday but featured for a Gills XI in their game against Chatham Town the night before.
