COLCHESTER United have been linked with a swoop for Forest Green Rovers striker Kurtis Guthrie.

Speculation is linking the 23-year-old with a move to the U's from Rovers, as the club look to add to their firepower in League Two.

Guthrie scored 12 times for Forest Green last season, helping them reach the National League play-off final at Wembley, where they lost out to Grimsby Town.

The forward played for England C in March, scoring their opening goal in a 2-0 win over Ukraine in March.

Guthrie began his career in his birthplace of Jersey, before joining Accrington Stanley in 2011 after impressing in a trial.

He was released in January 2012 and has since gone onto carve out a reputation for himself in the non-league game for the likes of Bath City, Welling United and Forest Green.

Guthrie played for Rovers twice against Braintree Town helping them to a 1-0 win at home and a 1-1 draw at the Iron, a result that virtually ended their assault on the title.

If he signs, Guthrie will be Colchester’s fifth signing for their first-team squad this summer, joining Doug Loft, Brennan Dickenson, Luke Prosser and Denny Johnstone in arriving at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Courtney Senior, Dexter Peter and Ben Wyatt have also joined the U’s, initially to play in their under-21 side with a view to them pushing for a first-team place.

Meanwhile, Tom Eastman has agreed a new one-year contract with Colchester.

The Colchester-born defender had been out of contract this summer, after his deal expired at the end of last season.

Eastman, who is Colchester’s longest-serving player and has made more than 200 league and cup appearances for his home-town club, had the opportunity to sign a pre-contract deal with any club, due to being over the age of 24.

But the 24-year-old has now committed his future to the U’s for a further 12 months.

Eastman is facing a race against time to be fit for next season after undergoing a foot operation.

The former Ipswich Town youngster is set to be out for around two months after having surgery on the injury but the U's are optimistic that the defender will put pen to paper.