Sam Walker looks set to leave Colchester United when his contract expires, this summer.

The Daily Gazette understands the popular shot-stopper will move to a club in a higher division, likely to be the Championship, when his existing deal at the Community Stadium runs out.

Colchester had wanted to Walker at the club and had offered him the chance to stay.

But the talented goalkeeper has attracted strong interest from higher-placed clubs and is set to move on, after five-and-a-half years at the club. 

Walker has been at Colchester since initially joining them on loan from Premier League giants Chelsea in January, 2013.

In that time, the 26-year-old has clocked up 213 league and cup appearances for the U’s.

Walker, who joined the club on a permanent basis in January 2014 after two loan spells, was an ever-present for Colchester in the league last season, playing every minute of every game.

He was on course to do the same again this season, before U’s head coach John McGreal started young goalkeeper Dillon Barnes for the final two games of their League Two campaign.

Walker battled back superbly from a serious knee injury sustained in Colchester’s Capital One Cup tie against Reading in August 2015, which kept him out for nearly a year.

Meanwhile, Colchester look to be closing in on the signing of midfielder Harry Pell.

The Cheltenham Town player looks set to join the U’s, after his current club confirmed that a fee had been confirmed with an unnamed club.

The Robins have not disclosed who Pell is in discussions with but the U’s have been heavily linked with the player.

He was left out of Cheltenham’s squad that travelled to play Crewe Alexandra in their final League Two game of the season, last weekend.