COLCHESTER United are keen to bring former loan player Hogan Ephraim back to Layer Road - should the opportunity arise.

The 19-year-old is yet to figure for his club West Ham United this summer and did not travel with the Hammers' first team squad on their pre-season trip to Austria.

Ephraim penned a new deal with the Premier League club at the end of last season.

However, West Ham manager Alan Curbishley has hinted that he may be prepared to allow the talented attacker to go out on loan again this season, in order for him to gain more first-team experience.

That would pave the way for a move by Colchester, for whom Ephraim impressed during his six-month loan spell at Layer Road last season.

U's manager Geraint Williams is a big admirer of Ephraim and admitted he is keeping tabs on the player, as he bids to bring in another striker ahead of the new season.

Williams told the Gazette: "Hogan's a player I would love to have back.

"We've made no secret of that but he signed a new deal at West Ham and they wanted to have a look at him over pre-season.

"But we're monitoring the situation because Hogan did very well for us last season."