Magnus Okuonghae says he is willing to put any potential contract talks on hold in a bid to be a consistent performer for Colchester United.

The U’s skipper, who has just regained his place in Tony Humes’ starting line-up, will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Freddie Sears and Sam Walker have started negotiations about signing new deals with the U’s.

And the likes of Gavin Massey and Tom Eastman have recently agreed new terms, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

But centre-back Okuonghae, who is Colchester’s current longest-serving player, says he is focusing solely on playing well for the U’s.

He said: “I’m not in talks about a contract yet and I wouldn’t expect to be.

“I’ve had a stop-start season and missed a lot of games - I just want to get my head down and play.

“That’s the most important thing for a player to do.

“It’s a case of me playing games and trying to stay consistent and see where that leads.

“As a player, you can get caught up thinking about contracts and before you know it, you can end up doing things completely differently.

“For me, it’s just a case of me playing games and enjoying the way we’re playing.”

For more on this story and a three-page preview of the U's game with Port Vale, see Friday's Daily Gazette.