Colchester United assistant manager Steve Ball says he expects some “positive news” on the club’s out-of-contract players to be announced in the coming days.

The U’s offered new deals to ten of their existing first-team squad at the beginning of last month and are still waiting for answers on whether or not they want to stay at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Experienced forward Chris Porter last week snubbed a contract offer from Colchester in favour of signing a two-year deal with their League Two rivals, Crewe Alexandra.

However, U’s number two Ball is confident that the likes of George Elokobi, Tom Eastman and Drey Wright will choose to stay put.

Ball told the Daily Gazette: “Things are looking positive, on that front.

“I think in the next week or so, we’ll have some positive news.

“I’m very confident that they’ll see what is going on at our football club and accept the deals that they’ve been offered.

“It’s rare these days that players will sign contracts straight away and understandably, they want to make sure that it’s right for them.

“Of course it’s easier for John (McGreal) and I to know as soon as possible what they want to do because if Player A and Player B stay, then other players you’re looking at bringing in go out of the window but we also understand that these things take time.”

Colchester are still waiting for answes from Elokobi, Eastman, Drey Wright, Richard Brindley, Lewis Kinsella, Dean Brill, Diaz Wright, Kane Vincent-Young and Charley Edge on whether they will remain at the club, next season.

Meanwhile, Ball revealed that Colchester are currently pursuing new signings to bolster their squad for the 2017-18 campaign.

However, the U’s assistant manager believes they already have the structure of a squad that can once again challenge for promotion from League Two.

“It’s ongoing,” said the former Arsenal youngster.

“We’re pushing things as much as we can and we’ve outlined where we need to get a couple in but there’s also an element of patience needed.

“At the end of any season, there’s initially a rush but now we’re in the time of year where people go away and then it tends to get mad again, around the end of June.

“But I think John (McGreal) and I have a very good, dynamic squad in place, which only narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

“This time, last year we only had 14 players with the likes of Joe Edwards, Alex Gilbey and Gavin Massey moving on and so many leaving the football club.

“We had a bit of a shell of a squad to work with at that stage but now we’re in a much healthier place.

“A real bonus will be seeing all of those boys out there fit going in on June 28 and they will be completely new faces for us.”