Defender Ike Orji has joined a new club after his release from Gillingham.

Orji left the Gills at the end of last season after being unable to make the step up into the first-team under managers Neil Harris and then Stephen Clemence.

He joined the Gills in February 2023 after some impressive performances at right-back for Chatham Town and returned there on loan to finish the season with a promotion, helping them to clinch the Isthmian South East title.

Last season he was part of the B Team at Gillingham and played on loan with Hemel Hempstead and Welling United but he was released along with most of the players in that set-up.

He left the Gills with one League 2 appearance under his belt, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute against Notts County. He also featured in two EFL Trophy matches.

Now 21, he’s joined National South side Chelmsford City after spending pre-season there on trial.

Clarets boss Robbie Simpson said: “Ike has done really well this pre-season. He built himself up and put in two really strong performances.”

His trial was disrupted by injury but he did enough to impress and is back fit again, playing against Southend United at the weekend.

“He showed some real promise,” said his new manager.

”He is only going to go from strength to strength so we are really excited to see Ike agree to join us.”

Simpson hopes Orji can do what former Wimbledon player Luke Jenkins did, dropping a level to go back up, after his summer move to National League side Aldershot Town.

Simpson said: “He reminds me very much so of Luke Jenkins last season where he departed a League 2 side with a point to prove that they made the wrong decision, just like Luke so he has got the bit between his teeth to go out and prove them wrong.

“We are really hopefully that we can be the vehicle for him to go and do that.”